The Two Goddesses
by Craxuan
Summary: This is a story of truth and lies, of misery and love, of the strength of belief... and death. And so I looked towards the future, moving on, for that is the only salvation from a past that could never be changed... Never. By, Hayate Yagami.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction in all purposes, and I do not own anything of the original/canon anime series.**

**Author's Notes: This is a story after Force, a prequel I've written since four months ago after an unexpected encounter and remembrance of an old anime, Nanoha. **

**Originally meant as a one shot, it has grew to such lengths that I have no choice but to separate them.**

**It is still unfinished (Final Chapter), but will be so in roughly two weeks time. Every day I will be posting a chapter right until the end of story, and perhaps with good luck and hard work, a special date.**

**And so we begin... the story of Hayate Yagami.**

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><p><strong><strong>The Two Goddesses<strong>**

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><p><em><strong>There was peace, and then there was war. Then… nothing<strong>__**.**_

Darkness reigned. Silence was the dominant element within a forgotten life pod lost somewhere among the blowing sands of time. Within layers upon layers of metallic casing lies a little world excluded from its larger counterpart, complete with its own unique air of solitude and carelessness to life. Inside that tiny world slept a book and a boy wrapped by life liquid, blissfully unaware of the many harsh storms pummeling against durable metal. It was as if time never existed, but then time arrived. Light repelled the eternal darkness as magical runes encircled the sleeping book, prompting for its inanimate consideration to awake. It looked ancient and browned; its cover a faded black that was almost white. Then, as if being read, the book opened as pages began to flip.

**_[... System boot up complete. System scan, no errors. Begin verification of current situation.]_**

The light flickered and faded, and for a brief second the silent paradise was saved, only to be disturbed once more as the book reactivates.

**_[Verification impossible. Current time unknown, current coordinates unknown, one human life form detected in TX-03 Super Life Savior.] _**

**_[All signals transmission return failure. Last Resort distress signal activated, return failure. Last known time year 0082 month 12 day 24 1913, last known coordinates identify Mid-Childan St. Hilde Academy of Magic.]_**

A pause. It was as if the book was reluctant to perform the next step. A response that was too human.

**_[Accessing temporary memory bank. Begin data validation, selected time year 0082 month 1 day 1 0000. Begin playback.]_**

The magical runes vanished as light reassembled themselves before the open pages to produce a hologram. Then, the still images began running.

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><p>It was a dark, lightless room lit only by the bright screens behind her table. Standing before her was a stubborn, beautiful woman who had just proposed the most ridiculous thing she heard since birth. She immediately thought of it as a joke, although years of experience told her that secret visits at midnight were never laughable. But tonight's visit was… She would have cut off her ear drums to check whether she was hearing right.<p>

"_What_ did you just say, Nanoha? I must be getting old; my ears aren't as sharp as they were before." Her tone was joking and light, but both their eyes were so deadly serious not a laugh could be heard from that chilling space of silence. Computers droned on monotonously as if to appease something unspeakably dreadful.

"… I wish to clone myself."

Silence. Utter silence. Not a pin to be heard. She gritted her teeth so hard that she wished it would break; at least the pain would blind her a few seconds from reality. She took a deep breath once, then twice, then settled on the coldest face she could muster and answered, "Captain Nanoha Takamichi, I did not hear what you just said, and do not wish to hear a single word from you any longer. Leave, now."

Nanoha moved not an inch. She stood firm and faced her friend with a terrible determination that could not be ignored. There was the shadow of a haunted look that lurked briefly for the merest of second, but Nanoha took a step forward and bowed ninety degrees. With a solemn tone she spoke once more, "I need your permission on this… Hayate. Please."

"And I'm the second last person in the world to ever permit you such foolishness. Leave." No one bothered mentioning who was the last.

"I need to do this. It can't be helped."

"Leave."

"There's no other way. If it ever happens again, I want to be there to stop it. I'm the only one who can do it, you know that."

"Oh!" Hayate Yagami laughed sarcastically, "How cocky. Playing the master of destiny now, aren't you? Didn't you always say that you believe in your friends and families? That you believe in me? Since when has that changed?"

"Hayate… Fate, she…"

A million emotions ran through Nanoha's face, but sadness seemed to be the greatest of them all. Suffering came a pretty close second, and pain a quick third. Hayate has never seen Nanoha looked so terrible, had not expected to see such an expression on her face, had not even thought it possible to exist in her friend, but she was wrong. She should've known. Her friend was strong in body and heart and soul, but even Nanoha is just…

Human.

Ever since that incident, everyone had seemed a little less cheerful. Less energetic. The belief that was once strong was rocked at its foundation, and bonds began to drift apart. Subaru quitted her position and went off to travel with Touma, to everyone's complete surprise. Vita left Mid-Childa to protect the world Earth, in accordance to Fate's wishes as well as her duties. The others resumed their daily lives, but just for a little bit… everyone lost a bit of their feelings. Only Nanoha managed to hold everyone together, bringing her smile and happiness across worlds even though she was everyone's biggest concern, even though she was the one who should cry her loudest.

Hayate cursed herself for the millionth time to miss the very obvious: despite of all her smiles, her warmth, her strength, or her beliefs, Nanoha has never recovered her heart, not since Fate lost her right arm to that incident. That, and something else too.

The brunette touched briefly Raising Heart that on her neck and straightened up with a force that alarmed Hayate as she leaped backwards from her seat. Under usual circumstances she would never have believed it possible for Nanoha to assault her, but tonight was a far cry from ordinary. For a few tense seconds Hayate glared at Nanoha, ready to enter Unison Mode should the brunette tries to do anything –

And then she cried. The Ace of Aces sank to her knees and wailed and wailed unlike anything Hayate has ever heard until she closed her ears with both hands to shut the horrible noise out of her head, and yet it just wouldn't stop. Dumbfounded, Hayate simply stared at Nanoha as she cried, her body moving forward with arms extended to wrap around the shaking woman, her own eyes began to water a pain that she swore to forget…

**_[Fast forward]_**

The sobbing stopped. Hayate let out a sigh and she chided gently at Nanoha, arms still wrapped around the trembling woman, "I could never refuse someone from my hometown, can I? Full of favoritism and all."

Nanoha said nothing but to tighten her grip around the Commander and hid her face deeper. It has been long since she has shown her moments to weakness to anyone.

"I… cannot promise anything, but I will try. That is… all." It was a decision she prayed as hard as possible not to be wrong. The jerking shudder came to a sudden stop, and then came the most chilling words Hayate ever heard from her friend,

"It was only your consent that I wanted... _needed. _The rest… I will handle them myself. I don't have much to lose anymore, no longer. If this is what I need to do to make things right, then I…" Her hug tightened, and for a moment Hayate had the delusion that her life was being choked out of her lungs. Is this it? The very reason Nanoha came to her was because…

Nanoha smiled hollowly at the shocked Commander and turned, her back heels already facing a still kneeling Hayate and quickly retreating, but even then there were traces of the Nanoha everyone loved lingering just around the corner of her lips.

_I'm sorry… and thank you._

Those were the final soundless whispers of today, even as the shocked Hayate knuckled her fists in attempt to clear her mind, under the wrappings of cold air and chilly atmosphere, of glaring bright screens and a silenced Rein,

There were the traces of her friend, Nanoha. Just traces, Nanoha.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'The Beginning'. Next selected time year 0082 month 1 day 21 1733. Begin playback.]_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: The word length will only grow with each chapter, so for those expecting a long read, you'll get it.**

It went smoother than Hayate would have believed. Way too smooth. She delayed and hesitated for two whole weeks before fulfilling her promise to Nanoha, and seven day later she found herself holding a two hundred pages working project plan, a research team made up by the best in the Bureau, funds enough to start a war, and Nanoha Takamichi's consent letter. A new state-of-the-arts laboratory was being built even as she sat passively in the meeting room; vague thoughts drifting between intense self-disgust and shock.

Perhaps it was because she played the fool once more, turning a blind eye against reality on how the TSAB functions, or any organizations to boot. She should've known that ethics doesn't exist when it comes to power play; of _course_ the plan would've been approved. Those were the dark thoughts of Hayate Yagami as she exited the room and headed straight to her own. On the way, she tripped a few overly excited scientists who were elected to manage the Ace of Aces' cloning project and gave an especially noisy bastard rambling like an idiot how delightful it is to 'dissect dear Nanoha-chan' a hard kick below the groin, without anyone noticing. None of these improved her feelings however, they simple served to teach her once more the grim side of life. Behind, Rein followed quietly without a word thinking really hard for a way to break Hayate's dark mood. Perhaps if she could force a Unison –

They've reached the Commander's Room. Slipping inside with a long sigh as the door closed behind her, Hayate turned around and hugged Rein suddenly with all the strength in her body. She ignored the immediate yelps of suffocation – "Ow! Mistress Hayate, stop! Can't – _breathe!_" – and her thoughts wandered back to that fateful day, the day she let her guard down and permitted all these madness for a good friend's cry. She had prayed then never to regret this one decision she made.

Regret has never left her since.

"… Hayate?"

"… I'm fine now, Rein. Thanks for everything." Hayate mustered her utmost courage and released the Unison Device, who although seemed slightly flustered was a great deal more concerned about her Mistress' state of mind. Steeling her heart, Hayate sat before her computer and began her routine hacking into the Saint King Hospital's security system; specifically the surveillance camera on the third floor, room 300 which housed a patient named Fate Testarossa Harlaown. And she watched.

It was a simple room with a single bed covered by pure, white sheets. Furniture are scarce; there was only a small table beside the bed to hold flowers and another at the front for a television. On the bed sat a beautiful blonde whose eyes bore piercing red and a gentle smile across her lips, except that there was no one around for her to smile at. At the poorest of glance it might look like she's dreaming, but her eyes were wide open. And yet she sat still as stone, staring and smiling, lips moving without a sound as if _talking_ to the thin air before her –

A knock. Fate's body jerked before leaping off her bed and running towards the door, yelling, "Welcome in!" Nanoha had arrived with flowers as usual, her smile a grimace as she glanced left and right in panic before shoving Fate back into the room, the door slamming behind her with a loud bang. Fate laughed brightly as Nanoha stared daggers at her best friend, "How many times do I have to tell you not to shout – You know what, forget what I just said, you'll just do it again next time." Fate hid a triumphant grin with her right hand and replied, "Best I don't hold back then, the next time you come to visit – Hey, what's with the face?" Fate cupped Nanoha's cheek with both her arms and smiled gently, "C'mon girl, smile."

Even Hayate's face grew distorted with grief, but Nanoha's acting was excellent. She stared at the extended right stump and smiled as if nothing was out of the ordinary, "Sorry, I'm just tired from work today, y' know. And Signum came again."

Fate smiled knowingly and sat lightly on her bed, motioning for Nanoha to do the same, "Weird. That makes the fourth time in a week already. Is she still not telling you why she's shadowing you?"

Nanoha sat and shook her head slightly, "No idea. I tried asking Hayate, but even she doesn't know about it. Well, I can't exactly complain since she's helping me out big time with the new students, although I couldn't say the same for them, haha."

_You lie better than me now, Nanoha. You know very well why Signum was there,_ Hayate thought numbly.

Fate took a second to visualize the disaster, and nodded solemnly, "Mm. The two of you together would bring the fires of hell, noble intentions and all – Ow!" Nanoha nonchalantly shot an instant fist at her partner's head and pulled at Fate's left ear. The Enforcer literally squealed as Nanoha began twisting – "It was a joke – AH! – Sorry, sorry! I won't do it aaaaaaaaAAAHHHH!"

Nanoha one, Fate zero. The poor woman held her aching ear and muttered pitifully, "Uuu… You're so violent today, are you having a period... Er… Never mind." Black aura had literally flared from the Ace of Aces and killed off whatever Fate had wanted to say. The blonde inwardly sighed as she looked to think back to the days when they were so young, wondering what possibly could have gone wrong to reverse their position so.

Nanoha two, Fate zero.

The steady silence grew long as they both turned and faced the sun set idly; neither one wanting to break away from the warmth and peace they mutually shared. Rein left dinner on the table, but Hayate didn't even notice.

"Hey, Nanoha… when can I leave the hospital?"

It was a dispirited question. One that she asked Nanoha every day.

"Until you get well… Is what I will like to say, but I don't know, Fate. I really don't."

Fate looked downwards and tightened her imaginary right fist, "If it wasn't for you and Vivio… I would have left this place long ago. I am _not_ sick, I have my duties to perform, and yet I'm trapped here doing nothing at all."

Nanoha's face was utterly blank of emotion, but Fate did not notice. The old her might have known that something was wrong by heart, but then Nanoha was such a skilled liar now she wore her masks as quickly as breathing. She held Fate's left palm and spoke gently, "I'll be here with you, always. I know it's painful, but please, until you get well – Until the illusion disappears –"

Hayate knew it coming. Nanoha knew it better, but she did not bother to dodge. Mad as a rabid dog Fate struck away Nanoha's hand and screamed vehemently at her, "I – AM – NOT – SICK! MY RIGHT ARM IS HERE; I COULD MOVE IT, FEEL IT, TOUCH WITH IT, AND I CAN EVEN CUT MY WAY OUT RIGHT NOW IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE BARDICHE AWAY! WHY DO YOU ALL INSIST THAT MY ARM IS GONE? GRAHH!" Fate grabbed for the vase and flung it at Nanoha's head with deadly force. At such close range she didn't even need to aim, and the resulting bloodshed was an astonishing shower of red as the vase shattered into a million fragments. Incredibly the brunette braced the impact without the slightest flinch even as blood flowed freely down her neck, swift as a river stream. There was a momentary stagger, but she recovered instantly and hugged the raging Fate with all her strength and feelings, blocking out the wavering dizziness that threatened to dye everything black.

Ten minutes later, Fate's struggle finally subsided as she grew aware again about her surroundings. She took one look at Nanoha and fell into deepest pit of despair, _"Noooo… Not again… No…"_ A hellish groan erupted from her lips, "_Why?_ Why is this happening? Why… I'm sorry, Nanoha, I'm so sorry…"

The brunette simply smiled. With a low whisper she brought her face close to Fate and swore quietly, "Do you still remember? I am the sword that cuts down all enemies; I am the shield that protects everyone; I am the heart that gives strength and belief; but most of all –" Nanoha took a deep breath before continuing,

" – But most of all, I love you with all my heart, and will never, ever, leave your side. So don't be sad… Do you love me, Fate?" At the mention of her name the blonde flinched and went completely red as she buried her face behind Nanoha's neck.

"… Yes."

"_And I, too. No matter what."_

Nanoha three, Fate zero.

Gently she put Fate lightly on bed, skillful hands already working on a healing spell as she slipped off her tattered uniform, her lips curling sensually at the blushing blonde while brushing off the many, glittering fragments. Hayate's fingers was half a second away from pressing the screen remote's off button –

"Nanoha…"

"Hmm…?" She slipped a hand into Fate's white shirt to feel her smooth, naked back. Fate was totally snared in a state of delirium, and yet she still managed to whisper her question,

"I heard that a new lab is being made… Just a few kilos away… From here. What is it for?"

Her movements froze. For a second Nanoha looked as if she was caught completely off-guard, but then she smiled sweetly at Fate and answered, "It's a secret. But I guess I can tell you this little bit," She looked backwards and directly at the surveillance camera, winked once, then turned back to continue smiling at a dazed Fate T. Harlaown,

"Its name, is Project Future."

Nanoha twenty one, Hayate zero.

The screen went blank, and for a long time the Commander did not move, did not see, did not breathe. Under the blanket of utter darkness and the absence of Rein, Hayate hugged herself tightly.

And shivered.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Project Future'. Next selected time year 0082 month 3 day 15 1200. Begin playback.]_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: To those who have read these chapters before, do expect fixes to grammar errors and slight changes to some of the sentences' structure. And, for this chapter at least, there are no factual changes.**

**As promised, the chapter gets longer by a lot. **

**Thank you for that one review by the way, haha.**

"… Are you sure you don't want to Unison with me? This will be dangerous!" Rein whispered desperately into Hayate's ears again but didn't dare to drag her Master away in public. For the tenth time, Hayate answered with a wry grin on her face, "Rein, I'll be just fine. Stop worrying, and remember to shield the field later with all your power."

Was she nervous? That was most definitely a yes; her hands were full of sweat, her pre-prepared tactics felt shaky and weak, and every step was an ordeal of courage not to tremble her legs. And yet Hayate's mind was determined, firm. This little show she's pulling would prove to be highly risky with little rewards, but she was willing to take the chances if it meant _anything _at all… For Nanoha, or for herself. With a bit of good luck, she might even be able to glean into some of those secrets the brunette tried so hard to conceal. But that would be pushing it, and she cannot afford to be optimistic. Her heels connected to cement with a solid _tap._

She glanced emotionlessly at the free flowing colors winging their ways through the clear blue sky, desperately yet excitedly challenging a dominant pink that could not be wavered. It looked another normal day in life except for the existence of a party crasher named Hayate Yagami. Such a shame. But after all that hassle she went through to get Admiral Chrono Hawlaown's permission to remove three levels off her limiter, it would be a shame to do otherwise. She raised a hand and checked her arsenal of pre-casted spells, and everything seemed to be in order.

_So let's dye this world thoroughly and completely, white._

Hayate waved Rein a casual goodbye that she wasn't feeling, and marched doggedly towards her soaring best friend, Nanoha Takamichi.

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><p>Rein was worried. Very worried. She couldn't help but think that Hayate was hiding something from her.<p>

Even as she began weaving magic to lock down the entire area, she felt a terrible hollowness and fear that gnawed at her insides like a flood of ants. The 'plan' Hayate had told her was reckless, mad, and totally void of the careful and rational reasoning her Mistress always abided to. She could understand why Hayate wanted to do this, but throughout her moderate but meaningful life in the military, Rein had known only one person to have made what would normally be conceived as _insanity _work, and that was Nanoha Takamichi herself. And right now, her Mistress was going to challenge that worker of miracles.

Twenty magic circles quietly surrounded the training ground and locked themselves into position. Once she confirmed that all the students have left the area she would activate the special barrier at Hayate's signal. Her Mistress didn't say exactly what the signal was, but the nasty suspicion tugging at her heart suggested that she would know all too well when the time was right. Right now, there was still time. Rein slipped a hand to her pocket and took out her custom-made communicator. It had been a special gift from Hayate to celebrate her acquiring of a human form, a proof of her memories so she could proudly declare that none of those days were a lie.

Those happy days, once upon a time.

Rein stared intently at the device with one hand nimbly lifted, but her fingers were shivering with doubts so thick she cannot feel them. What should she do? Hayate had asked her specifically not to inform their family, but only the Wolkenritters have sufficient power to intervene if something awry were to happen. Rein could hardly spare any of her magical reserves for combat once she created and began maintaining the barrier. It was something special that she and Hayate came up with just for this confrontation against the Ace of Aces, but the magic cost was huge and had to be maintained constantly to sustain the barrier's special properties. Rein could do it for at most thirty minutes and no more. In exchange however, no matter how much magic was unleashed within the barrier, no one would be able to detect magic from outside unless the happen to be an inch away from the crossfire, and that was highly unlikely, in addition to the qualities possessed by standard barriers.

_There was still time. What should I do?_

Rein made up her decision and began typing.

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><p>"Status report, please."<p>

Commander Yagami's arrival automatically meant that class was dismissed, and the students did not bother to hang around and watch. Nanoha's sometimes hellish methods of training provided more than ample amount of such motivation.

Nanoha raised a questioning eyebrow at the request. Hayate monitored every step of Project Future like a hawk, so it could only mean that she had a different reason for coming down today. Still, Hayate was her superior, and so the brunette saluted Hayate and began, "Clone double-O one has fully matured, and her memories updated till nine this morning. The next backup will be two days later, Friday."

"I see."

They said no more. Hayate glanced coolly at her friend without a trace of bonds, just as Nanoha regarded her now as no more than a commander. The dead silence went on for a full minute before Nanoha bowed respectfully and tried to dismiss herself, "If there's nothing else, I shall be taking my leave."

"No, stay. I would really like to see just how long you're going to stare at me with those lightless eyes of yours."

Nanoha's right hand twitched a little at the vicious jab, but she remained impassive and replied, "Commander –"

"So you insist on treating me as an outsider, Nanoha?" She didn't add a title to the name. Hayate was giving the brunette a final chance to change the outcome she has envisioned and about to come true.

A pained look crept its way to Nanoha's face as she looked down as if thinking, and with a sad voice she answered, "Haya – No, Commander, I –"

"_Don't you dare lie to me with that face, Nanoha."_ Blinding fast gold shot upwards, and had not instinct leaped her backwards Nanoha would have lost her neck. For an instant the brunette couldn't think fast enough to comprehend the situation; the Staff of Sword Cross slowly lifted above the commander's shoulders, but Hayate didn't give her time to breathe. She colored her voice with deadly resolution and declared, "So be it. Your clone is perfect, her memories are sufficient, and the world doesn't need _two _of you. Goodbye."

Impossible shock slammed through Nanoha's soul like cold steel, and she never saw them coming. Hayate lowered her staff and immediately lightning spears rained down from heavens to skewer the brunette, but Nanoha's battle instincts were demonically strong in the worst of situations. In the nick of time she dodged, blocked, and forced herself through the biggest of openings with only scratches on her Barrier Jacket. She almost made it through.

Then Nanoha felt her clothes stiffened, and to her horror and disbelief the Barrier Jacket turned rapidly into stone, effectively ending her mad dance of escape. Not even Raising Heart was spared from Misteltein, and as she raised her head in frustration she saw a terrible blue that stomped her fighting spirit to death.

"Atem des Eises."

Four overly large cubes of ice magic crashed down from above, and Nanoha helplessly screamed.

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><p>Signum was worried. Very worried. She couldn't help but think that Hayate was hiding something from her.<p>

Almost three months ago she has received orders – although her Mistress insisted that it was a request – to keep an eye on Nanoha Takamichi's actions and report back to her if necessary. Needless to say the silent knight was surprised by this, and while she never doubted Hayate's decisions, one couldn't help but think if Hayate was up to one of her little schemes again. At the age of thirty the Commander was certainly very mature and dignified, but that only applied at work. There hasn't been much to do since that incident except paperwork. Hayate hated paperwork; she couldn't understand why she should be signing an entire desk of papers in a world of futuristic technology, but that was another thing.

The problem was that Hayate's suspicion, whatever it might be, was dead right on the mark. Her slight skepticism about the task was gone on the first day, and by the second she was completely convinced, if not even ashamed. She was not too close to Nanoha, but her well-honed senses said that nearly every expression on the brunette's face was _fake._ It unsettled and shamed her greatly for not learning of this earlier, and who knows how long has Nanoha pretended to be... living?

It reminded the warrior too much of their painful past.

Hayate had explicitly forbid Signum from engaging Nanoha in combat after listening to her first report. Her Mistress had known exactly how she would react and taken steps to prevent it. But this was also an indicator that Hayate had her own plans in motion to do something about the brunette, and she wasn't telling. Past experiences had told Signum that Hayate was not as calm and rational as her Mistress would like to believe. She knew Hayate had always felt inadequate sitting behind the screens while the others waged battle, and this fear sometimes caused lapses to her better judgment, such as the one occasion her Mistress was stabbed by Curren Huckebein while engaged in a capture and rescue mission. Putting aside the necessity of Hayate's participation, if the enemy hadn't purposely missed her heart she wouldn't even be alive today. Was her life less important than the mission itself?

From her Mistress' view, yes. She would weigh her life against the many thousands of life already lost to the Huckebein and never reconsider. But the Wolkenritters, now… It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they would kill every single Huckebein on that ship before joining Hayate themselves. Worst case scenario. Thankfully it had not arrived at that conclusion, but the peace predictably didn't last long. No one could understand the incident that came too sudden, too humanly impossible to perceive. Knight Carim had nearly torn her cards apart, unable to believe such terrible bloodshed came without any warning at all. Signum shook her head to clear the image. It was one of those abominable memories that she wished to eliminate utterly from her mind. All in all, the long-winded pondering ultimately arrived at the same question she couldn't solve.

Exactly what was Hayate going to do next?

Signum checked briefly the bags of groceries on each hand before continuing her short walk towards home. It was Shamal's turn to cook, and so she had volunteered to buy the necessary goods for a change of mood. It was of course going to be a disastrous failure, but this was a lot better than brooding in the house. Suddenly, a single, long beep entered her ears.

She deftly slipped the device from her pocket to her palm after transferring all the items to one hand. Brought up the main screen.

She read the message.

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><p>Hayate glared and hissed at that single pink orb that danced before her face. <em>So it really was just one? After all that running?<em>

She has never hissed before in her entire life, but right now only hissing could describe her emotion.

She had pre-casted two powerful and innovated Immobilizing spells and unleashed them with perfect timing.

She said words she swore never to even think in life and gained the best possible element of surprise.

All that, and Nanoha Takamichi had the nerve to beat the snot out of her with a _single, miniature orb of magic_.

* * *

><p>A few minutes ago, Nanoha caught the full blast Atem des Eises and was frozen up to her neck, in addition to the petrifaction spell that took root throughout her body. The Commander took a good minute to examine her handiwork, tensed for perhaps a hidden card or two but nothing happened. She then looked at Nanoha's struggling face and spoke in amazement, "Well now that, was rather easy."<p>

Nanoha glared at her for a second before looking away. Hayate walked closer casually and waved a hand, "I didn't want to do this, but otherwise you would not have listened, just like how you've been avoiding me for these past two months. To tell you the truth, I was disappointed."

Hayate raised Schwertkreuz slowly and stopped it a few inches away from Nanoha's neck, her voice soft but trickling with pained disbelief, "Even now, Nanoha. Did you actually believe for a second that I was going to kill you? _Did you_?"

The brunette didn't answer. She simply closed her eyes and ignored Hayate completely. Copper taste filled the tip of her tongue, but Hayate forced down the terrible grief and pretended that she didn't care, "So be it. Captain Nanoha Takamichi, I hereby charge you with repeated insubordination. You are to be removed from all active duties immediately, and while I cannot detain you, you will report to Lieutenant Signum every day and refrain from engaging in any outdoor activities without my permission. If you refuse, then I would have no choice but to lock you right now," Hayate ended softly, "Are we clear?"

Nanoha remained silent, and after a while Hayate decided that there was no need to wait any longer. She took out a limiter from her pocket and moved closer –

"Sorry Hayate, but you will not stop me."

A fist sized magical orb shot from behind Nanoha and rammed directly into Hayate's nose. Rattled by the swirl of sudden pain and confusion, Hayate managed a weak leap backwards while holding her face, only to fell to her knees as pain erupted madly from her belly. By now her excellent intellect has grasped the situation perfectly. _Axel Shooter! _Already her concentration began to crack as the ice surrounding Nanoha splintered off piece by piece. _If I don't stand my ground…! _Hayate gritted her teeth and stopped retreating. _If I don't concentrate she's gonna...!_

The iron ball took a corner and crashed into her left shoulder. Her right elbow. Her left knees. She nearly screamed when it smashed for her kidney, but couldn't open her mouth quickly enough as it punched up her jaws. She swung her staff wildly to catch the orb, but it flew way too nimbly to be caught. Every time the pink orb touched her Jacket its size shrank, but not nearly enough for Hayate to escape the game of torture. Unable to stand it any longer she looked up with tears in her eyes and yelled, "_Nanoha!_"

A thousand similar pink balls floated behind Nanoha to overwhelm Hayate's vision as she stood dumbfounded by this outrageous spectacle. The combat instructor wordlessly raised an arm and waited for one second. Then she swiped downwards and whispered,

"_Shoot."_

Hayate ran so quickly she forgot that she could fly.

* * *

><p><em>Now <em>she understood the feeling of the enemies who antagonized the TSAB's Flight Combat Instructor, Ace of Aces.

Hayate hissed once more to dilute a sea of humiliation and stared warily at the distant figure. Her fury at Nanoha's counterattack was seriously threatening to overrun her sound judgment. She broke her nose, her body was blue and black, and finally she was far enough that the attack decided to stop, but by then all her spells have already lost their effects. Had it been anyone else, _anyone, _Nanoha's hidden card would have failed miserably like a joke. The harsh reality was undeniable: Her complete inexperience of battle and horrible defenses would scare a toddler to death.

Nanoha was now completely free, and Raising Heart was pointed directly at Hayate's direction. Hayate finally managed to kill off that pesky orb, but Nanoha wasn't about to give her the time to counter. Without a storm's warning, the rain has come to claim their prize.

"_Shoot!"_ "Sleipnir!" Shadow wings exploded in size as Hayate reached for skies with a blast of energy. The white light tore reality in a multitude of colors as pink bombs shattered at heavens; a zigzagging angel painting the afternoon blue with vivid fireworks and a hint of black. She tempted, taunted, and left them detonating in a fury of failures, but that was far from enough to shake off the pursuit. Of course it wasn't enough.

"Divine –" The accursed voice rang directly from behind her. Hayate spun around instinctively and was struck by horrible realization, but before she could rectify that fatal mistake the little game was already lost.

"– Buster!"

A beam of holy energy shred the world in two, blasting downwards at the Commander with the mercilessness of Gods. Barely having the time to react, Hayate desperately recalled everything she learned from Yuuno about barriers and threw in every ounce of magic she could muster. As a result, the hastily formed shield did partially block the shot, but the skies are on top, _and the ground is below._

There was explosion, smoke, and dust everywhere. Two meters into the human-sized crater Hayate breathed desperately for air but only succeeded in coughing blood. The manic crimson seemed to distort her very world as she groped frantically for her staff. Her book. Anything at all. Anything to relieve her from pain, to focus her mind on again.

Instead Raising Heart jabbed rudely into her vision, the shape of the orb almost made her hissed again by instinct. Funny how she could accurately name an intelligent device at the verge of fainting, but could not even form a comely barrier. Nanoha sounded almost lyrical as she strained her utmost to catch the brunette's words, "Checkmate. Forget everything about today, Hayate."

Hayate almost laughed. It felt like a drill forcing its way into her stomach, but it was that hard to hold in the crazy urge, "_Forget_? Are you kidding… me? Why don't… you tell that… to yourself? The way you are now is so… p_athetic._"

"I see." Nanoha shrugged nonchalantly. Her eyes were cold and bright, and deep within those purple orbs Hayate saw a burning hell that bordered on madness, "Then you certainly won't mind me to be pathetic for a few more hours. I'll be reporting this to the higher ups, and don't even bother asking Rein to stop me, neither of you are powerful enough apart. I doubt you have any tricks left, even if you took off your limiter. So," She pressed the device at Hayate's neck and whispered, "Do you surrender?"

Hayate coughed once, then twice, then licked the copper in her mouth carelessly. She had failed miserably, and her own body too ragged for the slightest movement, but contrary to Nanoha's belief she did have a trump card left. Ideally she would have preferred to avoid this, but the past is history. Flashes of those closest to her skipped briefly before her mind's eye as she thought briefly of Rein, Signum, Vita, Shamal, Zafira…

Fate, and Nanoha.

No matter the cost. No matter the loss. She thought she knew what was important, and so she willed herself to believe that she was right. That she could do this.

_Forgive me… Rein. Everyone. This might just be it for me, but still…_

"Wait, Nanoha…", A lifeless sigh escaped her lips. The brunette was ready to leave, and if she doesn't do it now the black was going to take her. With one arm raised she reached weakly for her friend, a dear friend who once saved her from the darkness, "Nanoha…"

The Ace of Aces averted her eyes and refused to meet, but she spoke in a gentler tone, "What?"

White stars began to crowd her dimming vision. A ripple of jagged ice crawled from the tip of her fingers, snaking its way slowly but surely towards her heart. Her feet were just _cold._ But still.

_But still, I!_

"_Cough! _Last words, you know? _Cough!_" Hayate's hand fell limply at last, but Nanoha made no move to grab it, for her own eyes were too tightly closed. Too drowned in misery.

"… I guess so." A meaningless answer. One too suitable for the world of hurt that would soon fall from blue skies. Full points for that's left now was the cliché, and Hayate is good with it. Always.

_Hmm. How should I draw her attention? Ah yes, _that.

"Say," And so Hayate smiled really hard and murmured, "_Why don't I cool your head down a little_?"

She called forth the final spell, and felt a terrific amount of magic clawing its way out of her heart. Her vision abruptly turned black, and white fire, fell.

* * *

><p>Her hand wouldn't reach.<p>

Rein thought it weird, and stretched her right a little longer. Perhaps now it would be suffice.

It still wouldn't reach.

She then switched to her left, illogical it may be. Then both hands. Then she boosted her magic and quickened her flight a little faster, and stretched. Her eyes were blinded with tears and her limbs crying buckets more. But she shoved down the excruciating pain, and channeled a little more magic for flying.

_You mustn't come. _

Her head rose at the ghastly whispers that was her current Mistress, warning her of the impending doom ahead. For an instant she saw a shadow of the past, but it was just pure instinct, a trait all living things share. That, and now she could almost see her Mistress now, and unsurprisingly her head was turned at Rein's direction. What a foolish girl; even now she was still worrying about others. Perhaps that silent, fading plea from before wasn't just her imagination.

But it couldn't be, because her Mistress was strong. It must be her, but it still couldn't be. The Hayate Yagami she knew was always very much alive.

"_Mistress Hayate…" Rein hesitated. She had a foolish question to ask, and expected an equally foolish answer from her Mistress. But she asked all the same, hoping to hear them once more for reasons she cannot phantom. Her human life… her new life was yet too short._

_"Hmm?" Hayate, as usual, wore a super bored expression as she flipped through the ton of documents laid before her table. She was indeed skilled and excellent as a Commander, but it did not mean that she love all parts of her job. Still, Hayate never failed to smile as she looked at Rein with gentle eyes. An honest smile from the depths of her heart._

_Sometimes, just sometimes, Rein would wonder whether that smile was truly meant for her. Sometimes, she couldn't help but fear that she was just a substitute of the past Reinforce. Sometimes, she was just insecure._

"_This might sound stupid but, I mean it _is _stupid but I, but…" For some reason her face was red, and heart was fluttering dangerously fast at the sight of Hayate's smile. She took a deep breath, and finally got the question out. Two words._

"…_Why me?"_

_For a second there the Commander bore an incredulous look, and then she immediately jumped at Rein like a pouncing lion with both hands grabbing for breasts, "Ah, I'm sorry Yuuno! I can't hold it anymore! _So cute! _It's gonna be your own fault if you lose your virginity tonight Rein!"_

"_Eh? Eh? Hyah! Eeeeehhh?"_

_It took a great deal of minutes to calm down her bored-driven Mistress, and by the time hell was finally over Rein was left shivering at the darkest corner like a rain-drenched cat. She finally understood the human term 'I'll never be able to get married again', and it took another hour before Hayate's apology finally got through her gloominess. Hayate had a bitter grin on her face as she was reminded of the Book of Darkness' near impenetrable defenses, and took note that it did not disappear; it merely transformed into something else._

_She smiled at the thought. A grudging pair of eyes beamed wickedly from the ice wielder (To which Hayate ignored completely while rubbing Rein's head), but her smile never wavered. There was never the need for thought; a reason to smile. That's why she hugged Rein from behind, and answered simply,_

"_We're family, right?"_

Memories faded behind reality, and death rang from above. From on top the deep skies awoke a radiant Belkan Triangle, its tips sparkled, crackled, and boomed. Her thoughts were half mad; Her Mistress was betting everything on her once friend now _enemy _to change her fate, and that was totally like the Hayate she knew, but it was so _stupid_. It would take just one step, one change of thought and she would be – _No, she couldn't die, she's as cunning as a fox. Happened to love the worst pranks in universe too, anytime now she would call a timeout and admit defeat, and everything would be back to normal._

She couldn't _die_.

All the sudden there was a tap on her shoulder. She turned around reflexively, and pink hair shot past her failing body, trailing behind it a wisp of silvery fire.

* * *

><p>Nanoha flinched instinctively at Hayate's challenge.<p>

Unaccustomed at eating her own words, she wasted a second looking at the Commander trying to figure out a pointless meaning. Raising Heart's immediate warning came later, but by then time has become a scarce and precious resource and was counting down in ten. Nine and eight was used to set up Excelion Mode, and then she realized that even Excelion Buster might not cut the dough. Seven to five scanned for the farthest and safest place from the imminent ground zero. Four noticed that the destructive beam's angle was a bit weird, but three said that she couldn't spare time to think. So Nanoha leaped over two and reached for Hayate, but –

One slammed realization into her gut.

"Excelion –"

Hraesvelgr crashed into her hastily casted Protection Plus, thus shattering her futile attempt to fire off any Buster. While the attack spell was far from powerful as compared to the original, it was also narrower and much more focused, perfect for single mage bombardment. Not only that, the beam seemed to get stronger with every inch it gained, and her heart was in raging turmoil from the dots she connected just seconds ago. Nanoha didn't want to believe it, but there can be no other explanation.

_A suicide attack. She aimed at herself, gambling at the probability that my first priority was to save her before anything. Why would she go this far for me? No…_

_How could she even trust me? After all that I've done to her?_

Nanoha felt more shaken than she had ever been since that incident, and it was beginning to chew through her resolve. Doubts and hopes, despair and prayers, they mingled as one despite the differences to falter her strength. Should she listen to Hayate? Should she tell the truth? Already cracks began to draw all over her weakening barrier as if taunting her weakness; her inability to protect herself or the wounded friend right behind her, and by her own bloody hands that cannot save anyone –

_This is your full strength? Don't make me laugh, Ace of Aces._

_The next thing I'm going to take is your lover's arm, and you can do _nothing _to stop me._

Nanoha's eyes burned, but not from the bright light of judgment that's close enough to singe her hair. Her slackening grip tightened suddenly in a seizure of madness, and she thought she could wrench steel with just pure fury. She remembered that day very well. She fought again and again in her day dreams or nightmares for a better outcome, but not even in fantasy world could she succeed.

But even so, didn't she swear to protect everyone's smiles? That she would never allow that day to repeat ever again?

She looked once more at her limp friend who was either half aware or about to faint, desperately trying to reach out to her. Hayate, the kind girl who always gives for nothing in return. Hayate, the brilliant strategist who never failed to defend her comrades and saved countless of lives. Hayate, the best friend she ever has who was always there to listen and supportive with her own mischievous ways.

Nanoha felt a single tear flowing down her cheeks. So she could cry after all, but it no longer mattered. She summoned one final courage from the depths of her soul, and prepared herself for the greatest act in her life.

_Thank you, Hayate. And I'm sorry._

* * *

><p>"Gu… Ugh…"<p>

_How long was I out?_ The strain had swallowed nearly all of her strength, and every cell in her brain was screaming desperately for sleep. Somehow though, she was awake, and that must mean a reason. If only her head wasn't so heavy like some super glue, or the very uncomfortable smell of burned flesh –

_Light. Flesh. Burn… Nanoha! _Revelation clicked into Hayate's brain, and she forced open her eyes to see what had become of her friend. A hand outstretched, she tried whispering Nanoha's name but only managed a croak. She was still alive, which meant that Nanoha was still holding away Hraesvelgr, but for how long? She has designed several variations for this spell, and one of them was for Hraesvelgr to act like a powerful bomb that would detonate all of its power at once, and so could not be controlled or stopped. If she had miscalculated somewhere then…

Hayate didn't think it possible, but her eyes widened at something terribly wrong unfolding before her eyes. White flames had suddenly halted its progress as if fearing the black fury that leaked out from the very essence of Nanoha. Impossibly, unbelievably, from that broken stance that threatened to crumble, Nanoha turned her head around and stabbed a monstrous glance into her close friend's heart. Hayate's heart was stuck at her throat, and she couldn't breathe. Perhaps at that moment, if the brunette had a single instant to spare a knife at hand, would she really –

_Kill… me?_

* * *

><p>Nanoha thought she heard a clear chink somewhere, and then noticed that it was Raising Heart's jewel that cracked. Like a machine she evaluated the situation emotionlessly and came to a conclusion for the cause: Sudden discharge of overloading magic, poor positioning and angling, stress from the previous training sessions, and more importantly <em>old wounds.<em> It was back then when she and Raising Heart went beyond imaginable limits, beyond the threshold of reversal. Go past those things, and they say only a miracle could save you.

But she didn't care.

"Sorry, Raising Heart. Even if I have to use you like a tool –"

**[Do not worry, my master. Continuous cartridge load!]** The intelligent device continuously pumped in magazines of magic despite the fact that splinters was falling off its reinforced body. At that moment, Nanoha would swear that Raising Heart shared her heart and soul. It _understood._

_No more holding back._

"… Thank you."

To Hayate's disbelieving eyes, the cracking barrier suddenly pushed back against her Hraesvelgr, its strength reinforced by twice the amount of magic channeled from the cartridges Nanoha loaded. _And she was still loading more magazines! _A ball of pink energy began to form at an impossible pace and was already pushing against the inner surface of the shield, raring to explode.

"Double Action. Barrier Burst standby, Excelion –"

**[Charging complete. Ready to fire!]**

"– Buster."

The defense shattered into a million pieces as Excellion Buster banged against the fire of judgment in a fury of rainbows. While the clashing was flashy, it turned out to be more of an endurance battle. Nanoha simply unleashed everything within her limit, and left the extra boost all to Raising Heart. It was between the cracking gold, bending steel, shivering hands, wobbly feet, breaking bones, blinded eyes against that pure, white flame that accused her of everything – Just absolutely everything –

It abruptly ended. Hayate's final trump card expended all of its reserve magic, and light clawed sky from bottom to top, triumphant yet weak. The mad clash of power faded and disappeared as if never there. Almost at once Raising Heart shut itself down and began automatic self-repair, its damaged frame looked so delicate it's as if it would shatter by the gentlest of touch.

But Nanoha was still standing. She was standing pretty upright and tall, and she wasn't done just yet. She turned around without a care for the glittering gold and red, and walked purposefully towards the Commander. Hayate Yagami closed her eyes feeling a welling emotion of despair, and ironically despair gave her strength to scream,

"Raising Heart... How could you do this? _Nanoha!_"

One step. Nanoha smiled gently, but Hayate felt only a terrible surge of fright as it blasted through her veins. The brunette raised her device high in the sky and came ever so closer,

"Really, Hayate? Am I that terrible? Wasn't it _your _fault at the first place? A suicide attack.._. _So you want to die _that _badly, huh?"

She's close now. Very close. A primal, frantic urge to flee seized control as Hayate shivered uncontrollably, but her eyes were heavy with regret and helpless anger, that she couldn't do anything to stop Nanoha,

"I… Lost. Nanoha… I'm sorry I lost. I'm sorry I can't stop – Gaggh!"

With eyes colder than ice she jabbed the tip of Raising Heart against Hayate's throat, and let it stayed. Blood bled down from the new wound with metal pieces, and Hayate could only breathe a bare minimum of air. It would seem that her consciousness was going to end painfully short, Hayate noted to herself with a hint of hysteria.

"This is my resolve, Hayate. Even if I have to use – Even if I have to kill, I will do it. There's… No more turning back."

Her words were clear as bells, and they would accompany Hayate's sleep for a very long time. Very, very long.

* * *

><p>Signum held Hayate gently in her arms, but her heart burned with a terrible sadness that could find no cure. Finally she turned around and walked for the nearest infirmary, but not without leaving the final words to the motionless brunette. Her face one full of resignation, of quiet acceptance... and farewell.<p>

"As you wish, it will be your own fight, and no one else. May the warrior's fortune be with you… Nanoha."

Unexpectedly, she felt tears in her eyes that threatened to fall. But Nanoha could not say sorry now, not after what she did push Hayate away, to keep her _safe_. Not now. Steeling her will, Nanoha shifted her focus towards the so very blue sky.

"… Ah."

_This time, no one else but me would get hurt._

_This time, no one else but me would suffer._

_This time… Only two will die._

She flew.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Conflict'. Next selected time year 0082 month 4 day 1 0034. Begin playback.]_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: Tame chapter and mystery.**

**Editing this chapter gave me an insight of my own growth. With the exception of Chapter 1 - which was probably a once in a lifetime genius for me, since I can't imagine even now how to top that - I've discovered more weakness in these chapters than I thought, and I've went through each of them at least twenty times since the beginning. Interesting. Do you, readers and writers, ever find yourself improving over time? If you don't, then you _are_ improving.**

It was a beautiful evening. Fading sunset dyed the sky golden and red, signaling the end of the day and promising rest and comfort. Even the light itself felt healing and rejuvenating, as many men went back to their homes with tired hearts patted and soothed.

Unfortunately, not so for a groaning, heavily bandaged commander whose head screamed to split apart at every shuffle. She was a total wreck, and Vita refused to let her off her sight even for a leak. Shamal had to drag the complaining red knight out of the cubicle with all her strength while Signum just stood by with a wry smile on her face. Rein was busy handling the uproar at TSAB, but had promised to visit her as soon as possible. In short, it was a total disaster of a day.

She got lucky. She was blue and black everywhere; a broken nose, some broken bones and a slight cut on her neck; but was otherwise pretty healthy. There had been a huge commotion when Signum carried in the horribly injured commander and refused to answer any questions. But help came unexpectedly from Nanoha who explained the whole thing off as training went awry and that she was totally at fault, hence effectively crossed off the incident due to their key connection with Project Future. And so Hayate was quickly forgotten and life went on, but it didn't mean her troubles were over. The mentioned uproar was caused by Shari, whose big mouth just couldn't shut up as she spread rumors everywhere about how _terrible _Hayate looked when she was brought to the infirmary, how _weird _it is that they could not detect any traces of magic where the _training_ supposedly occurred. It didn't take long before the other friends picked up the news, and trouble came. The nasty interrogation conducted by Herr – _Why the Swedish reference? – _Subaru and Teana have been exceptionally tough to handle, and her Knights wouldn't do anything about it as she was hanged, stripped, and flayed alive until the next morning, and then the next morning until finally Nanoha walked in and dragged the pair's attention away. She suspected that Signum had intentionally refrained the others from saving her as punishment, but could not draw enough of a reaction to confirm her suspicions.

Still, she was also a total wreck. She just couldn't laugh off the icy cold tension whenever Nanoha casually walked in and greeted her as if nothing had happened. _Whose big idea was it again to put me in the same hospital as Fate's? _Vita nearly blew her top every time the brunette waltzed in, but Signum's firm grip on her shoulders and Hayate's own disapproving gaze held her back. Nor could she pretend that her room was not directly opposite of Fate's sickroom, which meant that this happened every time they have a familiar visitor; the brunette smiled and chatted and laughed with a pretty miffed Fate who was being teased at…

"Is that really… Nanoha?" Vita muttered, her disbelief showed no signs of fading even after two weeks of Hayate's hospitalization. No one answered her question. No one dared to spell the fact that they would've noticed no difference from Nanoha at all had they not seen their Mistress' injuries; especially that mark on her neck. She was just so distant. So far away.

Hayate broke out of her haunted reverie and looked around. Surprisingly, the pink haired knight was fast asleep while leaning against the wall, and the others were not around. A bad premonition immediately sprang to her head, but she quickly pushed it away. The concerned brunette was away at the moment, and Signum would not have allowed any of them to confront her. She still remembered the severe look on the usually calm knight, especially aimed towards Hayate.

_Stay away from Nanoha._

But!_ Vita had tried protesting, but one glare from Signum was enough to shut everyone up. Zafira simply closed his eyes, refusing to partake in the conversation._

_If you want our Mistress to be safe, stay away from Nanoha. That is all._

Signum knew something. Perhaps she already knew about Project Future. It was not a secret that could be kept; anyone who had a mind what to find could sniff it out any day. But still, she knew something Hayate didn't, and Hayate was very worried about it. Exactly what had happened after she fainted…?

Suddenly, she looked at the door and noticed. Despite of Signum's warning, of those unforgiving words that kill her heart every time she remembers, of the cold steel pressing against her throat, Hayate could not let go of her friend. There never was a reason to give up, not then, not now, not ever. Had their roles been reversed, Nanoha would have done exactly the same. Now that she saw clearly how far gone her friend was, there was even less reason not to save her. To stop her from whatever she's trying to do. _To stop her from hurting herself. _Alone Hayate was powerless, but maybe…

_Maybe Fate could stop her. She's practically just next door. She _is _next door._

The idea came abrupt and incredible; she could not believe that she did not think of it before. Once it got stuck to her mind, she just could not get rid of it. Perhaps it was due to her weakened state, or she was simply too tired handling work during the afternoon on bed, but like a magnet her focus became attracted to the door to possibilities and would not go away. Her legs shifted quietly to touch the cold floor, and she winced at the pain that shoot up her spine. Her mind felt warm as jelly, and she could not remember why she needed to stop Nanoha, or save Nanoha, or _what _was she supposed to save Nanoha from, but Fate…

_Maybe Fate could stop her._

"Tch!" Her head was throbbing. She did not realize how painful her head was hurting, but she was at the door now, and Signum was still asleep. She could not have a better chance than this. If she told Fate about Project Future, or her battle with Nanoha…

_Maybe, just maybe. _A sudden vision stabbed into her eyes, and Hayate dreamed.

* * *

><p><em>Fate was flying. She was flying faster than ever before and she loved every second of the wind cutting past her tingling skin, but there was something she needed to do. She wanted nothing else but to float adrift above the skies and feel the sunlight, but there was something she needed to do right now. <em>

_Yes. There was an idiot out there she needed to wake before she ruined herself forever. That self-sacrificing, all out idiot who cared too much for others._

**_[ERROR]_**

"_It's been a long time, Bardiche. Do you still remember?"_

_[Yes sir. Anytime.]_

"_Thank you. Let's go! New Sonic Form!"_

**_[ERROR]_**

_Instantly her speed tripled than before, in exchange for the barest amount of black fiber that shielded her skin. Gold magic connected to form twin swords as Fate held them with –_

**_[ERROR]_**

* * *

><p>"Eh?" And Hayate was back at earth, her dreams forgotten and faded to the back on her mind. There seemed to something uncannily realistic about it, as well as something important that she could not remember…<p>

She looked up, and saw the door. Written there was the nameplate 'Fate. T. Harlaown', and a world of possibilities she could not imagine. She hesitated, waited, thought frantically between the two choices allocated in her palms. If she opened the door, Fate would know the whole truth, or as much truth as Hayate knew at the moment. Still, it could mean change. No, it _must _mean change, but what kind of change? If instead of waking up from the illusion, Fate fell once more into the frenzied, uncontrollable madness on that first day, then –

Hayate froze, and her hands did not touch the handle. She remembered that chilling metal pressing against her throat, _cutting,_ and the fear just would not subside. Almost immediately the illusion of a hateful gaze knocked into her back; as if there was a pair of hands that clasped gently and _unforgivingly _at her neck, a whisper just brushing at the tips of her ears,

_What… are you doing?_

Hayate tightened her fist until she thought it would break, but she did not touch the handle. Five minutes of trembling later, as if a ghost she stumbled lifelessly back into her bed and startled a waking knight; her face pale white, her tears already falling.

But she did not touch the handle. She did not open the door.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Regret'. Next selected time year 0082 month 5 day 1 1434. Begin playback.]_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: A little informing. In case anyone wonders about the many, _many_ mysteries surrounding the events of TTG, some of them might remain so forever so until I decide to write... from a different point of view, that is Nanoha's PoV, 'Truth' as the background and Fate's PoV, 'Forgotten' as the side story. I hereby name Hayate's PoV 'Zero'. Whether I'll decide to (ever) write them, well...**

**And a little grumbling. Why is it every time I go through my chapters there are so many lines that I want to edit? Suffice to say that I'm dissatisfied with this chapter's flow, but there is no time... ****Sigh. This is also the last time I'm gonna complain, because it will always be the same from here onwards.**

**For those who read the beta, slight changes to keywords to keep factual consistency.**

It was the tenth murder in the capital of Mid-Childa, Cranagan after Hayate resumed two weeks of active duties. The sun was strong and peered curiously through the open cobalt blinds, a source heat and guidance that the commander welcomed more freely than usual. A couple sheets of documents sat idly on her desk, foretelling inorganically some of the blackest slaughter in history. The world had been relatively peaceful for the past few months, but no longer.

Her mouse hand flicked through the various plans and sketches she wrote in attempt to neutralize the present threat. Her eyes scanned carefully each lines and diagrams on the monitor, but the unease only growled louder in her stomach. Her plans were sound, but they all suffered too greatly from an uncorrectable error: The lack of substantial evidence. There was no security measures that she has forgotten to take, but if she was correct then none of them would prove to be of any use. This might just be the worst black hole case she has ever faced yet, and the fact that the Special Duty Section 6 was called upon obviously meant that something was terribly amiss.

So far, the victims lacked a connection to each other. No witnesses have claimed sightings on the culprit despite that all the murders were committed during broad daylight. There were zero leads for videos or images either. The TSAB investigators haven't dug six feet down the ground to search for clues yet, but it's safe enough to declare that the crime scenes were squeaky clean. There were no magical traces, and Hayate was the first who dared suggesting the possible use of physical weapons as the murder tool. However, all abroad the meetings agreed unanimously that the decapitation could only be done by a sharp-edged weapon or something similar, and that the killer had to be one superhuman freak to slice its prey like tofu. One of the victims was an A ranked mage, and his staff was found to be cut cleanly into five equal-length pieces before being used to stab at each of his limbs and the head. Whoever the killer – killers – was, he's good. She's good. That, and utterly and totally crazy.

Of course the suspicions had fallen on the Huckebein, but unless they happened to learn how to do instant teleportation back and forth from prison worlds away and undetected, none of them could be related to these events. Not to mention that whenever a Huckebein kills, the death tolls were counted in hundreds. It was naturally a fact that's far from heartening, but at the very least it meant that one family of suspects was eliminated.

Not even Verossa Acous, TSAB inspector and professional investigator who contributed greatly during the JS Incident could unravel the mysteries. Hayate sought his help immediately after she was appointed to the investigation, and at that moment the green haired man had teased her lightly for being unreliable. And now, as Hayate pretended to tap through complex arrays of information she has memorized perfectly in head, the brunette peeked thoughtfully at the mentioned inspector sitting at the guest sofa, sipping at his coffee in absolute and total silence. It was rare for the easygoing man to look so tensed, and he even went as far as declining her offer for sugar cubes. Hayate has never seen Verossa looking more serious and, gods be good, _afraid_.

"There was _nothing _I could find in their head," He told her while massaging his head with trembling fingers, the effects of the thought investigation an hour ago still rankling his nerves, "Nothing at all. Usually, any objects, inanimate or not, would hold a certain amount of memory in them. For example a sword would contain a wielder's battle memories or its maker's effort to build it. That being said; forgive me for being unkind to say this; the final minutes of a dead person's memories should be the most vivid and easiest to access because one, they're dead, so they can't blockade their minds. Two, who wouldn't remember how it feels to die? Even a sniper's bullet gives you just enough feeling to _know _there's something passing through your head."

She shifted from her seat then and sat beside Verossa, putting one hand on his back and smiled as an act of comfort. He accepted the gesture gratefully and paused his gaze on the coffee. A minute passed.

He drained everything then and looked at Hayate, his eyes sharp and focused, "The minds of those victims are just blank. White papers, utter blackness, whatever you want to call it. I couldn't pull a single memory out of them, not even the tiniest of feelings. In short, I have never seen anything like it... But I do think that there's a possible lead."

A pause, and Hayate was almost certain that she wouldn't like what her friend was going to suggest. Her years in the military have forged her womanly intuition so well she wished it was less. But she was compelled to ask, "I assume that the lead would require my better judgment?"

He nodded, "It does. I'm just worried how well you're going to take this, and then there's this _other _person's cooperation I need to get, which could be quite hard without your help."

Hayate was confused then, wondering why her personal feelings had come into play. Verossa should know very well that she was always fair with her decisions no matter the controversies of belief. And who was this 'other person'? From the sound of it, it could very well be someone she knew… She took a quick second to think, but the inspector saved her the trouble and dropped the bomb,

"Fate Testarossa Harlaown… I believe that her sickness might be connected to the weird symptoms on these victims. That's why I would like to formally obtain your permission and investigate her mind, and of course with your help, to get dear Nanoha a.k.a Fate's guardian to consent as well."

Why did she pick this job again?

* * *

><p>"So in the end, you're just going to sneak in like a thief?"<p>

"You _know _we don't have a choice. _We. _She's not around, and this case cannot wait."

A day later, Hayate inhaled a deep breath and walked nervously into Saint King Hospital, trying really hard not to look about for a familiar color of brown. It was nine in the morning, but her heart was pounding so hard she felt as if she had just ran a marathon on high heels. Verossa was snickering quite audibly beside her, and it took quite an effort to hold back kicking his knees in public. She'll make sure that he earns his pay for such a hard work laughing later.

This little 'visit' was conducted under the utmost secrecy, and Hayate had decided not to report this investigation to the higher ups. If there truly was a connection between the old wounds and new symptoms, she wanted to have enough time to ponder her next move. For Fate, the bad news almost certainly meant an extended period of confinement or worst, total isolation, and Hayate would not allow it to happen. She would not allow Fate be treated as a lab rat under her watch; her blonde friend has suffered too much already.

They've stopped outside Fate's room, and Hayate took a second to prepare before knocking lightly on the door,

"Fate? Hayate here."

"Come on in, the door's unlocked."

The duo entered, and Fate greeted her with a smile on her face while lying upright on the bed. She took a look at Inspector Acous, and motioned Hayate to come closer. She then whispered softly into Hayate's ear and asked, "Who is he? Your boyfriend?"

_Yes, there's every reason to believe that she is losing her memories, that it could be gone by tomorrow, next week, maybe a year or even more. But it will certainly happen. The hallucinations? I don't know; it's just there. I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you anything more than you already know._

The sudden wrench in her heart nearly broke Hayate's composure, but she kept her smile and laughed casually, "No, of course not! Yuuno would cry down the Infinity Library if I find a new man. This person here is Inspector Verossa Acous of the Special Investigations Department. Perhaps he is of your liking?"

The counter tease poked a red blush on Fate's cheek, and Verossa did not miss a single beat. With an exaggerated lift of his white hat he bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, my beautiful lady. Forgive Hayate for her rudeness, my detective intuition suggests that she's having her period today and finding an outlet – Oof!" A right straight to the ribs cut short the inspector's jest, and Fate giggled lightly at the noisy duo.

They talked for a little while before Fate raised a hand and stopped a surprised Hayate. The blonde smiled knowingly at her friend and said, "Okay. It's a bright Monday morning, and I do not remember it to be a holiday, so I can guess why you're here. Just tell me, Hayate, I understand."

Hayate crossed her fingers apologetically, and her expression turned serious. The opening would have been a lot more different and filled with lies if Fate was someone else, but this is Fate. She was a former enforcer, and she is one of her closest friend. It would be disrespectful and shameless for Hayate to be dishonest. So she began telling Fate intimate details of the recent murders, and the purpose of their visit today.

"… I see. So you think that these weird… emptiness had something to do with my condition?" Fate tried her best to disguise the ill humor in her voice, but Hayate could sense it clear as crystal. She grabbed the blonde's hand and apologized sincerely, "I know it's hard, Fate. I'm sorry. But too many people have died already, and I cannot let go even the slightest clue if it meant catching the culprit and stop these murders. Of course, you're free to decline this investigation, I wouldn't mind…"

Fate shook her head and shot Hayate a weary grin, "Hayate. Who do you think I am? I might be a former enforcer, but I do understand the importance of this investigation. I would have done the same if I were you." She then put a finger in her mouth thoughtfully and said, "Hmm. Actually, I think I would be _really_ happy if I could look into your head. Inspector Acous, do you think it's possible to check on Hayate before me?"

Verossa grinned slyly and rubbed his hands, "Of course, anything for my lady. With a little luck we might even be able to find some useful blackmail materials… Hayate? Where do you think you're going?" He caught the shrinking Hayate deftly and pushed her towards the only chair in the room, ignoring the scathing gaze the woman was shooting him. Fate sat by with an innocent look on her face and watched.

"Haha.. hahaha… Guys, I'll blast my way out here if you don't stop this joke right now…"

Ten minutes later, Verossa and Fate were in a deep meditative state and still as statues. The inspector had one hand on Fate's forehead and his eyes closed as a vibrant green of magic glowed mysteriously from his palm. Both people had a tranquil look on their faces, and Hayate heaved a sigh of relief as she waited patiently for the thought investigation to end. She wasn't sure whether it was relief that the investigation was progressing smoothly, or that they finally let her off after she flashed her book and staff. The latter seemed likely the truth. At any rate, it didn't seem like it would end anytime soon, so Hayate made herself comfortable on the chair and began processing her thoughts. There were a couple of things that had been bugging her for quite a while, and at the moment there was leisure time to think.

The first would be the murders themselves, of course. So far, all the victims have their heads and limbs sliced cleanly off the body. These crimes were all committed during daytime, and the bodies were found almost immediately after the murder. When the TSAB units arrive, the bodies were always fresh. They were sometimes fresh as in minutes, and not even hours. It suggested that the killer had lots of practice, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know how many more such victims had went unnoticed. She had her men working twenty four seven to search for similar murders in all known worlds, TSAB administrated or not, but so far there were no positive news yet. Those few hundreds cases that they do find have glaring disparities in their profile as compared to this, but Hayate kept in mind to look through them later.

It was strange. Setting aside how impossible it seemed to cut up a person on the streets so easily, Hayate just could not understand the purpose behind the act. Back on Earth she learned that behind such murderers there was always a unique, motivating history, but it also meant that the victims were selectively picked. That there was a pattern to follow. But no matter how she tried to link between the businessman and the kid, the baby and the fat woman, the retired idol and the land force mage, they simply didn't fit the puzzle. Perhaps, instead of hatred towards certain kinds of people, it was directed at the general humanity? But Mid Childa had not seen such a case in thirty years. You can't even find mutilated kitties. Magic was, and still is, a tremendously effective way of preventing this form of murder.

Until now.

The second problem was the lack of information. Forget finding the killer, she wasn't even sure if there was a killer in the first place. There were no witnesses, no recordings, no photos, no traces be it physical or magical – To be honest, out there, the public was in a state of total panic. Ten murders in two weeks! Opposing politicians overlooked no chances and booed on the TSAB's incompetence and lack of results, that they couldn't even decide whether the culprit was man, woman, or a super monster ferret spy from outer space about to eat them all alive. Hayate instinctively groaned when she remembered how she had to cuff her furious boyfriend just to stop him from storming a certain address he magically dug out of his Infinity Library. She couldn't even comprehend why he searched the library instead of just making phone calls; he practically knew all the higher ups in TSAB! Then again, she probably needed to restrain herself more in the future; she didn't want to risk breaking her cute little toy with too many pranks, it would make life immensely boring. Damn, she was getting distracted.

On a more serious note, the situation was just downright unbelievable, if not eerie as hell. At first she thought that a powerful force was at work, but there were no claims or notes made by any parties. Perhaps the underworld would know something more. Hayate made a mental note to phone Teana later despite her skepticism; an active enforcer ought to be a good start there.

There was a secret conclusion that she has reached, except that it sounded so ridiculous that if she were to tell anyone about it, she could risk being removed from the case and put on a long vacation. It was defeatist, illogical, stupid, and Hayate decided that she probably would do the same if it was something she heard from her subordinates. A flexible mind also meant a certain degree of misunderstanding and loneliness, but she was accustomed to it. She didn't notice the bitter grin that drew unconsciously on her face.

To put it bluntly, well, the conclusion Hayate Yagami reached was this: People were dying naturally. It was totally absurd, but after leafing through a couple hundred thousand lines of details, she couldn't help but reaching that impossible solution. If one could say that to die by _having the limbs and head cut away from the body is natural, _then –

Wouldn't it explain everything… perfectly? They died of natural cause. There were no traces of the killer, because there wasn't one in the first place. Imagine an old man suddenly having a heart attack or stroke, and convert that to some random stranger suddenly split him – herself into several pieces. Death was merely a result. If she learned something about magic, it's would be that anythingis possible.

Hayate chuckled disbelievingly at herself. The thought was so utterly _wrong _that she should be admitted to a psychiatric ward. Skip the thought; she should focus on problem three.

Three was the main trouble. She _did _have an idea where to find a possible lead. While unlike Verossa, who discovered a peculiar symptom from the corpses that matched Fate's, hers lacked substantial evidence to prove her conviction. But Hayate does believe that the person have something to do with these murders. She believed that _Nanoha_ knew a lot more things than she let on. Ever since the incident, her behavior was often unstable despite the smiling face she wore for those around her, now that she thought about it deeply. Ever since that promise they made, she practically relinquished all contacts and her actions became a total mystery. Most of the others hadn't even noticed because they have their lives to move on, and those few that did notice were tricked splendidly with smiles and hints of weariness, just enough to make them believe that she was still trying to adjust to life. Right now, only Hayate and the Wolkenritters knew the truth. Her friend wasn't just trying hard; she was literally throwing her life to work on something she wouldn't tell anyone. That stunt Nanoha pulled on the training ground… It was an act totally careless of her own humanity, even if they did reconcile afterwards.

Right now her friend was on leave, and Hayate could hardly believe that out of so many days, she coincidentally chose this exact occasion to take a vacation. She really did expect Nanoha to suddenly return and throttle her senseless for disturbing Fate. It was why she had been so nervous this morning; she sent out the message on Fate's probation twelve hours ago and has dreaded every second ever since. But Nanoha wasn't here, and that made her all the more worried. Obviously the vacation excuse was a complete hoax; something was keeping the brunette from coming back, and Hayate didn't like that one bit at all. The timing of these events just stank too badly.

If these murders really were connected to that incident, then…

Her head throbbed. Hayate disliked it when it does so. Usually it meant that she has worked passed the normal time – again – but as of late the headache just happened randomly regardless of how rested she was. But perhaps she was thinking a little too much. And the pair was still rather frozen at their places. _I'll just go wash my face a bit. _Hayate stood up from her seat, stretched her back while stifling a silent yawn and took off for the toilet. She took one last glance at the duo and –

Ice seized her movements. She blinked rapidly, but Verossa's face was twisted in agony, his mouth opened as if to scream but not a sound could be heard. His entire body shook madly like leaves, and the green magic has withered into ink black darkness. On the other side Fate's condition was a startling opposite of the inspector's writhing look. The blonde was smiling, the curve of her lips turning upwards gradually but surely. It was a smile careless of muscle strain, a smile that just grew wider and wider until the image seemed to burn itself into Hayate's eyes –

"No. Inspector Acous! Fate! Wake up!" The commander leaped into action with the frantic of wild animal. She gripped at his palm and tried to pull, but it was stuck to Fate's forehead like a magnet. She could barely yank his finger off; it was as if a black hole's trying to suck in the entire arm! "Dammit, Verossa! Verossa! Ei!" With an attempt of final desperation she slipped one foot off her shoes and planted it firmly on Fate's chest, then pushed and pulled with every ounce of strength she got in her body.

The hand slid off as naturally as breathing, and Hayate fell off the bed in a dash before hitting the back of her head hard. White stars were everywhere, but she didn't have time to be dizzy. _Are they okay? _Hayate thought anxiously as she pulled herself upwards, putting a hand behind her head to suppress the pain that's pounding like a tiny hammer. But then a pair of claw-like hands extended from above and grabbed her shoulders, lifting her upwards as if she was no lighter than a baby. The fingers dug deeper into her flesh and Hayate shrieked in pain, hopelessly disoriented by the sudden chain of events that couldn't make sense.

Suddenly she was looking at a face. At first she couldn't recognize whose face it was: the running nose, the bulging eyes, the strained nerves that blotted out of skin and the crooked lips that twitched erratic-like, but then realization struck, and suddenly she saw Verossa. The Verossa Acous who just a few minutes ago looked at peace and tranquil with his art. His mouth snarled open and a tongue danced like a writhing worm, spitting saliva all over the cowered Commander who still hasn't gathered her wits. Then Hayate realized that Verossa was trying to speak. Barely understandable words spewed out of his mouth painfully, but he was talking,

"Ha… yate… Wro… ng… Per… son… World… s… Nano… ha… Chr…! Chris…!"

And then, he broke.

"AHHHHHHH! GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The world tumbled, and Hayate was thrown at the nearest wall with such brute force that she heard bones snapping like firecrackers. She knew immediately that the situation was bad and tried to stand up, but then the pain seared her with such intensity that she fell to her knees and moaned. It was as if her brain was on fire. She tried pushing herself up again and was surprised to see that her right arm was limp and oddly misplaced. Then the new pain bolted through her spine like lightning and nearly knocked her senseless. _A broken arm_. By the time she regained enough coherence to check her surroundings, Verossa was already gone.

The world roared as if it was hell incarnate, but she would not faint. Hayate gritted her teeth and killed the haze of pain with a burning anger that threatened to overrun her heart. _It was my fault. If I noticed it earlier – if only I wasn't so damn busy thinking about things!_ It took her a minute to finally get back on her feet as she trotted unstably for the open door, but then she remembered Fate and took a fearful glance backwards, half-imagining the same or worse has descended on her friend as well.

But Fate was just smiling. Her expression was void of life, and that terrifying curve on her face was gradually fading, but she was still smiling. Still, seeing that her friend wasn't going to run amok anytime soon, Hayate decided that she would chase after Verossa first.

Blood trickled freely downwards from the top of her head, further impeding her kaleidoscope vision with scarlet flowers of black. The pain was maddening, and every step she took was a rhythmic hammer that crushed at her skull again and again until she could no longer understand up and down, left or right. But she could move forwards, and forward she pressed on towards the familiar magical source that was somehow fading. At the moment the pain was dreadful enough to cloud her thoughts that she couldn't understand the implications, but the terribly ominous feeling in her heart urged her frantically to run on. The occasional howls and shrieks of terror bounced past her ears, and she was no longer sure whether it was all just a dream. A horrible nightmare.

She didn't know how she made it down three floors. She didn't know that half her face was drenched in blood. She didn't even remember how she pushed through the crowd of doctors and nurses and patients, but she finally did make it to him. Lost amidst the sea of bodies and high strung emotions, she took one look at the corridor, and fainted.

Verossa Acous is dead.

* * *

><p>It was morning past two. A glow of light held back darkness as Hayate sat very still on her bed reading through the latest report that arrived from Erio. Apparently he hasn't discovered any traces of disturbances yet, but Caro was currently taking the night patrol. She would learn of the results maybe half a day later. And then there were a few lines that preached her to sleep, but she ignored them and tore open another packet of biscuits. She has six more video recordings acquired from Saint King Hospital's surveillance cameras to run through; there wasn't a single second to waste. The terrible itch from her head wound wouldn't allow her to rest anyway.<p>

She concealed Fate's involvement in the case. Hayate told a simple cover story about she and the inspector visiting the blonde when suddenly there was a flash of black, and so on. It was not because Fate was her friend. Rather, she would like to avoid the possibility of TSAB researchers being too curious and set off a chain of disasters that they could not control, not to mention that she didn't want to be bogged down by legislation in this matter. Another reason was that up till now Fate has shown no signs that her sickness could spread in anyway be it physical or magical contact. Only Verossa's Thought Investigation somehow triggered an outflow of _something _that; if she assumed correctly; literally corroded his mind to nothing. Either way, at the moment Fate was very dangerous and needed to be watched, but not handled.

She was contradicting herself, but Hayate dismissed the matter carelessly. Until she understood more, the less people who know about this, the better. Besides, Carim should be the first to know the truth before anyone.

She clicked a certain report on her laptop tentatively, took a peek, and then shifted her focus somewhere else. Within the word file was a short two page statement on her theories of the murders and the conclusion she's arrived upon. What was merely a wild and crazy speculation has taken on a very tangible form and required immediate remedy, but she was hesitating. At best, her peers would consider the matter seriously and pass it to higher judgment. Countless numbers of debates would ensue, but any authorized action won't begin until at least a good month later. At worst, she would be treated as a nutcase or had a few screws knocked off her head from her accident. The politicians would eat her for breakfast, and maybe lunch as well if they have a grudge against her.

And yet Hayate wasn't too worried about herself. She knew she wasn't thinking right, but at the moment she couldn't care less if her dreams or efforts would be grinded to dust. There was a simmering emotion in her heart that she believed as hatred, and so she worked on endlessly. The possibilities were minimal, but there might still be a killer yet. There might still be the origin of this terrifying phenomenon to track. Then maybe she could do something with these feelings she held.

She refused to think of the meaning behind Signum's smile when she told the warrior she wanted to kill whatever's responsible for Verossa's death. Shortly after her awakening she had ordered her knights to leave coldly, and Shamal reluctantly retreated with a sympathetic yet painful smile on her face. Vita looked like she was about to cry. Zafira was just solemn and quiet, but Signum… She didn't even look remotely tickled by her cruel jabs.

"_I want curry for my dinner tomorrow; it's been quite a while since we ate your cooking."_

"_What?"_

"_I won't take no for as an answer, Mistress. Later." Signum then left the room calmly, leaving a confused and angry Hayate behind fuming for reasons she could not phantom._

… And she was still fuming. The reasons were rather clear later, but she refused to think deep and buried herself with work. Her heart settled down somewhat at those thoughts, but she was still going to burn Signum's curry. Maybe throw in a whole jar of sugar in as a gift.

She thought once more, about Verossa.

_Verossa Acous, TSAB Inspector of the Special Investigations Department was killed on duty at year 0082 May 2__nd__ 9.45 am and was found on ground floor of Saint King Hospital. His limbs and head were decapitated from the body and he was believed to be the 11__th__ victim of the ongoing Cranagan Serial Killing Incident._

Suddenly the dam broke, and tears began to fell freely from her eyes. She quickly put away the notebook and hid herself within blankets, but her sobs had already become uncontrollable. The night was dark, and the air unforgiving and cold. Perhaps she was mistaken about her hatred after all.

Instead there was just… sorrow.

* * *

><p>"… <em>Just for a while, can I speak to Hayate? Alone?"<em>

_Eisen flashed, and the tip of the hammer almost touched Nanoha's nose. Hayate raised her voice, but the vehemence in Vita's words choked her own dead in the throat._

"_I believed in you, Nanoha. I will not believe my eyes to be fucking blind either. But you are going back today, or else _I'll make you._"_

* * *

><p><em>Today would be the day before Hayate's discharge from the hospital, and all four knights have gathered today for a wondrous celebration of her to-be recovery. The first thing she saw in the morning was red, blue, yellow, green and white balloons hanging all over the ceilings, and she blinked her eyes wondering if she had a heart attack and ascended to heavens. A right peek showed her cute little red knight tiptoeing on top of a ladder trying to hang more balloons, cursing and muttering about some straw she drew short. Hayate was quick on the uptake, and there was a sudden gleam in her eyes that spoke of the queen of pranks. But first, she needed to make risk assessments. She peeked left.<em>

_Shamal was smiling radiantly and encouraging Vita to keep on going, that there were only fifty balloons left until her shift ends, which almost successfully goaded her to jump off the ladder and fight. Instead she chained in a low voice a long line of obscenities which to Hayate's knowledge, came from a variety of at least five worlds and some hard core Earth language that made her blush. Now, this was something new for Hayate because Vita would never, ever have said them in front of her. It almost made her smile to think that even after so many years she could still learn new things about her family._

Woops, sentiments later.

_She took stock of the great dog, and concluded that Zafira knew exactly that she was awake. Hayate couldn't explain otherwise how he winked one eye carefully the moment she looked at him. She winked back and made a soundless 'Shh', to which he acknowledged with a light growl. It was all green so far. As for Signum, she had one eye closed and smiling, and that was all the permission Hayate needed. She immediately jumped out of her bed and yelled, "Vita!"_

"_W-W-waahh!" The red knight stumbled, lost her balance, and fell from the ladder. Caught completely by surprise and more concerned whether Hayate has heard her cursing like a drunk, Vita didn't even bother to soften her landing. She simply closed her eyes and –_

– _Fell safely into Hayate's arms. She had anticipated it miles away and calculated for sure that she would catch Vita in time. The grinning patient waited until Vita opened her eyes, then hugged the red knight tightly in her arms, ignoring the squeals and incoherent words Vita was trying to form._

"_Thank you, Vita."_

_The blushing girl tried to say something again, but there was a knock on the door._

* * *

><p><em>Nanoha surveyed her surroundings briefly and didn't speak. Then she stared back with an equally unnerving look and said, "I wonder, Vita. I don't have Raising Heart now and I would probably lose if we fight. But this is a hospital, and Hayate is right here. If you don't mind she gets a few more scratches then –"<em>

_She raised her right hand. It was a familiar gesture, and instantly everyone became stiff and tensed, but no magic was gathering. Vita shook with uncontrollable fury,_

"You – !_"_

"_Enough."_

_Laevantein blocked the raised hammer easily, and Signum shot a warning look at the extremely pissed off red knight. After a few seconds of steam blowing she finally put down her device and stalked angrily out of the room. The others looked similarly cautious, their Barrier Jacket already on and Shamal pressing her fingers against Hayate's lips. The latter sulked back into her blanket with an exasperated sigh._

_Signum faced Nanoha inches away from each other and asked solemnly, "Why are you here?"_

_The brunette looked a little surprised. The words might be rude, but there was no mistake of the sincerity and honesty in her tone. _

_Nanoha did not look away and stared straight, "I… just want to talk."_

One last time.

_The telepathic message got through, and Signum closed her eyes. A moment later she nodded and motioned the others to leave. There was the hesitation and tiny protests from Shamal, but the pink haired knight would hear none of it. A few seconds later the room became quiet, and the two friends were finally left alone. Nanoha sat quietly beside the bed and asked gently, "How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"_

_Hayate doesn't know what to say. Get angry? Laugh? Throw in a punch line? "Ah, ahaha, I'm fine. This little bit of injury is nothing really; I'll be alright by the morrow." Her right hand leaped unconsciously at her throat, but she quickly realized the gesture and dropped it. Nanoha simply nodded and stared at the window. She looked seemingly distant and dazed by the beautiful sunlight._

"… _Nanoha? How about you? Are you feeling… alright?"_

_There was a sink in Nanoha's eyes; a break from wondrous dreams that seemed always out of reach. She turned and smiled lightly at Hayate,_

"_I'm okay. Actually, I came today to apologize. It might be a little late and weird but… I'm really sorry for everything, Hayate. I'm sorry." Nanoha then looked at the scar on Hayate's neck, and the girl was surprised. So she _did _notice her gesture before, that's kind of embarrassing._

"_I don't mind, Nanoha. I really don't. It was my fault we fought in the first place. You know what? I'm just so happy we're talking again…" There were tears in her eyes. She really needed to control her tears; they seemed to flow way too easily as of late._

_But Nanoha was looking at the windows again. Curious, Hayate tried to see what exactly was her friend so entranced about, and noticed that above the sheet of the transparent white curtains, there was just a little of the azure sky that just managed to peek inside. Just a little._

"_I think I might be taking a leave in a couple of days," Nanoha started suddenly and leaving no room for interruption, "It could be weeks before I come back, it could be days, I dunno. I'm not sure when I'll be leaving either. But I just want you to know that when you find me gone suddenly."_

"_A leave? Days or weeks? To where are you going?" The question was more out of worry than routine. Nanoha taking breaks was about as rare as flying pigs._

"_I wonder…" And the brunette said no more. Hayate felt compelled to tease her lightly, but couldn't find an opening through the atmosphere to say so. At the end, they simply kept quiet and enjoyed each other's company. The peace was infectious._

"… _I'll be going then." The brunette stood up and stretched._

"_Huh? So quickly?" There were still a lot of questions to ask, and lot of mysteries unsolved. More importantly, Hayate didn't want her to go. There was an ominous presentiment that suddenly settled into her heart._

"_What? Do you want me to stay for the night as well?" The girl smiled impishly, and Hayate felt her face go bright red. She was so not accustomed to be the one at the teasing end, "W-w-what are you talking about? I, I, I just! Nanoha!" Her tongue wouldn't allow a comeback, and Hayate hid her head behind pillows. It almost felt like old times again, in reverse. Almost._

"_Haha…" Nanoha apparently decided that it won't hurt to stay a little longer. She sat back. Then suddenly, she turned and looked at the commander with a serious look in her eyes._

"_Hayate."_

"_Yes?"_

"_The 'Key'… If possible, I hope that child could live his life happily and never be involved with that incident again. But if the time comes… Please protect him."_

_Hayate's face darkened, but she shoved away the sadness and smiled her best, "I will. But that won't happen anytime soon, so don't talk about it," She held Nanoha's hands and said brightly, "Who knows? Maybe we'll find a cure for you in a few years! Technology is always improving. That's why…"_

Stop talking like you're already...

_Nanoha simply smiled. She held back Hayate's hand firmly, then let go and stood, _

"_Thank you, Hayate. Goodbye then."_

"… _Yeah, see you soon!"_

_And Nanoha Takamichi left the room, her warmth and gentleness all but dissipated the instant her presence was gone. A hole of loneliness dug into Hayate's chest, but her joy far surpassed that. Perhaps the atmosphere was still a tad bit awkward, but sooner or later they would be friends again. They would talk, laugh over past faults, and walked towards the future just like before. Together._

_And then she noticed. Nanoha had said 'Goodbye' instead of her usual 'See you later'._

_She wondered if it meant something. Probably not._

* * *

><p>She woke up. Rubbing her eyes, Hayate noticed that it was still dark, and a check of time told her that it was five in the morning. She looked around for her knights, and then remembered that she had chased them out of the room. But a slip of paper lay gently on top of the table beside her bed; it was something that wasn't there when she slept. She turned on a lamp, and read.<p>

_Sorry, Hayate. I should have been there. Rest well, okay? I'll be out to find that crazy bastard. ~ Vita_

_Make sure you eat your medicine, Hayate. Two blues, one red, one yellow, three times a day, and no moving around! I hope you're feeling better! ~ Shamal_

_Be strong, my Mistress. We will always be with you. ~ Zafira_

_I forgot to mention that my curry should have crabs in it. It's in the refrigerator. ~ Signum_

Hayate flipped the off switch, and placed the paper back at its place.

The feelings from the dream last night were clear and bright, and Hayate felt a lot more refreshed than she had been before. She remembered the memory well and fondly. It was one of the few things that kept her going when that terrible assignment fell into her lap almost immediately after her acquisition. Vita might have been adamant with her mouth, but she had been the first to leave the room. There were many who forged bonds with Nanoha, but few ever truly understood her. Fate, Vivio, Yuuno, herself… And Vita.

Nanoha was often alone, and she had every right to impose on those around her, but she never did.

Nanoha fought endlessly and always giving it all of her strength and feelings, no matter how hard or inappropriate the circumstances might be.

Hayate shook her head and touched one foot on the floor. She smiled wryly and muttered, "Guess I really don't have a choice."

_She never gave up to pain or despair. So how could I?_

She stood and began to walk slowly towards the window. Suddenly it was as if she was reliving the dream, despite her surroundings were totally different. Beyond the glass and steel was the sky and life that Nanoha loved so much.

She thought once more, about Verossa.

His death no longer haunted her conscience. But that doesn't mean Hayate would forget him as time flew by. That was what that softy inspector would have asked her to do, so she would do the exact opposite. Just like always.

_Sorry, Verossa, you'll just have to put up with my selfishness again._

She extended a hand to the curtain and pulled it open. Her determination was renewed, and she was ready for anything. The sun climbed hills, and light brushed faintly against her skin. It was the beginning of a new day, and there were things that only she can do. That's why she'll give it all she got.

Hayate suddenly looked at her bandaged right arm, remembering in horror that she can't cook with one hand. Black clouds immediately rained on top of her head as she turned towards her bed in gloominess, thinking –

There was a flash of white and brown and pink, and she thought she saw something unbelievable. _It couldn't be? _She turned back quickly and ran towards the window, but the colors were no longer there. No mistake though, there was only be one person that could match the figure she just saw.

"Nanoha…?"

* * *

><p>There were two guards posted outside her room, but they were fast asleep and weren't going to wake anytime soon. As Hayate tiptoed her way out undetected, she had a moment of internal conflict whether to preach them for a poor guard duty or praise them instead. She decided that it could wait as the faint magical presence she felt drifted further and further away. It was now directly behind this medical facility, and Aeris Hospital was a new environment to Hayate.<p>

Everyone had decided unanimously that Saint King Hospital should be temporarily sealed after Inspector Acous' sudden death. Hayate was treated on the spot after she fainted, before relocated to Aeris Hospital somewhere a few hundred kilometers southwest from Cranagan. As the commander and leader of the investigation, she was absolutely pissed to be moved _away _from the crime scene despite all good intentions. As herself though… She glanced one last time at the snoring guards and scurried down the stairs with the haste of a panther despite being hindered by her bad arm. This hospital was rather undermanned because of its remote location, and Hayate encountered no one during her little escapade down the emergency staircase. Later she discovered that the nurse at the counter of the main entrance was dozing off with a fist on her cheek, and she was forced to crouch down and crawl. Unlike the others, this one seemed prone to wake at the slightest of sound.

There was a sense of childish excitement she hadn't felt in many years.

Ten minutes later, Hayate was cladded in her Knight Armor and flying moderately quick towards the hill behind Aeris Hospital. Wind swept through her brown hair and the world zoomed past behind with exhilarating speed. She could see everywhere enchanting shades of green and yellow, of light that danced joyfully at the blessing of new destinations, and the air full of life when she sometimes flew past leaves and branches that dropped of water. Today she would chase after Nanoha, and Nanoha the ever elusive eagle. Today, it seemed, would be a good day.

Nanoha's magical presence was growing fainter and fainter, and Hayate was gradually losing her grasp on the brunette's exact location. _Weird, _she thought, _is she trying to hide her presence? But it doesn't feel like it…_

She added more speed. Now that she was a good distance away the guards most likely would not be able to sense her magic, and Hayate chased after Nanoha as fast as she could. However, the brunette was living up to her title, and Hayate was not accustomed to the terrain. The distance between them was drifting further and further apart. But she was not worried; Nanoha would most likely stop somewhere on top of the hill. Finding her would only be a matter of time, which Hayate happened to have the luxury of spending now.

There was a pause, a slight flare of magic, and Nanoha's presence disappeared as if she was never there. Hayate was only tens of seconds away, and as she anticipated they were at the top of the hill. As she landed softly on grass she could hear flocks of birds chirping beautiful, bell-like music all around her, and for a moment she simply stood there, enchanted. It was _incredible. _She promptly cleared her head by pinching her cheek and began searching for Nanoha's trail. It didn't take long, and Hayate followed the trail cheerfully. Today, she rediscovered at this secluded, exotic hill exactly how terrifically gorgeous Mother Nature was.

Hayate finally reached a clearing, and there stood Nanoha, clad in familiar white robes and holding Raising Heart with her right. The brunette stood proudly on a jutted cliff with her back towards Hayate; her figure shone almost godly against sunlight that padded her robes with fascinating snowy glow. For a while Hayate simply stared, dumbstruck, her eyes taking in the breathtaking beauty whose strength could scorch the skies. Then she walked forwards with a light smile on her face, "Hello, Nanoha. It's been quite a while."

The white figure shuddered, and she began to turn over with surprise scribbled all over her face, "… Hayate?"

"Yes, who else? I kind of saw you back then and followed, I hope you don't mind." Without waiting for a response she strolled up beside her friend and half teased, "So, how was your amazing vacation?"

For a moment the brunette looked utterly speechless and at loss of words, and Hayate did not understand the emotion on her face. Obviously Nanoha did not expect to see her here, but was it really that much of a shock? Finally, the brunette returned her smile and sat down slowly on the rock, motioning the Commander to do the same, "Would you sit with me?"

She either did not hear her question, or chose not to answer it. Question marks were popping like mushrooms all over Hayate's head, but she nodded and sat. She looked towards the sun, humming comfortably under the soft touch of warmth.

Today really was a good day.

"Your arm..." Nanoha pointed worriedly while swinging her legs over empty space, "And your head… What happened?"

Hayate shook her head dismissively, not wanting to spoil the transient peace just yet, "It's just a minor wound, nothing much. I'll tell you everything once we get back. For now…"

She raised a dainty finger towards the rising gold, "_That. _Right?"

Nanoha smiled wryly while scratching her cheek, "In other words, you're just being lazy –"

The brunette raised both arms to shield her face, but nothing came. Hayate waited until Nanoha's guard lowered just enough for an eye to peek before flicking a stone at her forehead.

"Ow! Hayate, that hurts!"

"Don't wanna waste your perfectly timed guard."

"Please let it waste next time! Uu…"

The guileless banter went on for several seconds, leaving the two friends laughing and slightly breathless. Hayate closed her eyes to feel the brushing wind and murmured,

"But really, this place is really beautiful. How did you find it?"

Nanoha pushed back a lock of hair and gazed into the sky, "Well actually, I didn't. Fate brought me here."

"Oh?"

"It was a month after I woke up from my coma long time ago, and she brought me here… I really thought I wouldn't fly again, you know. That I can't even walk a few steps without help was… painful."

Hayate realized anxiously that she had stepped on a landmine, but the brunette shook her head gently to show that she understood. Nanoha continued,

"But Fate brought me here. She wanted to show me that there were so many beautiful things in this world just waiting for me to catch up, and in the end I did. This is the place I regained my wings, Hayate. And now…"

Nanoha looked as if she wanted to say something more, but held back. Instead, she opted for a light cough. Very light. Hayate looked at her with a hint of doubt and asked, "Nanoha? Are you feeling well?"

"I'm… okay."

For a while Nanoha looked dazed and unfocused, and she looked as if she was about to fall asleep. Slightly exasperated, Hayate gave her friend a light push and grinned wryly, "Did you sleep well last night? Eh? This…?"

Weird. Her fingers were wet and sticky. She's not seeing anything dirty on Nanoha's clothes, so why…?

She looked at her fingers, and they were red as paint. Warm and liquid. Scarlet and _blood_. A thunderous implication jolted through Hayate, but she couldn't believe it. It was impossible.

"Nano… ha?"

"Ah… Haha… This… is kind of… bad…" Nanoha began arching limply towards the side, but Hayate was quick to grab her from falling. Terror seized her heart as she touched more liquid, no, Nanoha's entire body felt _damp with blood._ Amidst the shock, disbelief and growing sense of horror, the layer of white began to peel off one by one as Nanoha's true form began to reveal: Terrible cuts and slashes riddled wounds all over her body, and there were gaping holes on her thighs and right waist. Her right shoulder – The upper part of her right shoulder was missing, as if something had _ripped out_ both flesh and bone –

"Nanoha! What is this? A, a doctor!" Hayate cried for help, but they were the only ones on top of the hill. Already she was working the best healing spell she knew, but nothing was happening. Her legs seemed to be frozen; surely she would fall if she tried to fly, but if she doesn't then Nanoha will...!

"Sleiphnir!" Black wings exploded behind Hayate's back, and she tried to carry Nanoha with one arm. But she couldn't do it, not without causing more pain for the brunette. She had never hated herself more than that moment. She looked at her immobile arm and screamed in frustration, "Move it, you stupid hand! _Move!_"

"It's… okay…" Nanoha reached out a bloody hand, and Hayate grasped it immediately. There were comforting words she wanted to say, to tell her friend that's she's going to be alright, but they just won't come out. Her sobs and tears were choking all of her emotions in her throat. They just won't.

"I… sorry… The vacation… lied…"

Hayate held her hand tighter and cried, "Who cares about something like that? Just… Just what did you do to get hurt so badly?"

"I… defeated him…" Nanoha smiled. It was a smile devoid of the demons that have haunted her for so long, "That's why… it's… fine…"

"_Nothing _is fine! Don't sleep, Nanoha, I beg you, don't you dare fall asleep! Think of Fate, Vivio, your family, everyone! They need you! We need you! Don't you _dare!_"

Nanoha coughed, and crimson streamed downwards like a fountain, "The clone… will take… my place… That's why it's… fine…"

"You _idiot!"_ Hayate raised her arm in fury but couldn't bear to bring it downwards, not like this. Tears garbled her vision as she rubbed at her eyes furiously and cursed herself again, and again, and again. How had she not anticipated this before? She _knew_ that Nanoha had only years left to live. She _knew_ that Nanoha wouldn't live the remainders of her life quietly, not while he was still out there.

To protect Fate, Nanoha used Blaster System just a little too long.

To save them, she pushed herself just a little too far.

To _reject _him, she killed a little too much of her life force.

_Fate looked at Nanoha, and begged her to stop with her eyes. She tried to speak, but she was just too weak. She was losing too much blood. Hayate was shouting on top of her lungs at the static-filled screen,_

"_Nanoha, stop! Don't do it!"_

_The brunette's eyes were closed. A decision was made, and a surge of magic far surpassing anything they've experienced gathered around Nanoha._

_She opened her eyes, and whispered, "Blaster… Five."_

"You… idiot…" Hayate's sobs were uncontrollable. She was crying so much, and yet even those tears couldn't wash away the sea of blood. The last of the illusion faded away completely, and she saw all too clearly how broken Raising Heart was. Cracks of a thousand snakes gnawed at every inch of its metallic body, and the jewel core looked like fragments joined together by glue. Its light was fading rapidly, far too rapidly.

Hayate looked into Nanoha's eyes. Her focus was gone, and those beautiful purple orbs were beginning to turn glassy. It would seem however, that she was searching for the sky.

Hayate hugged Nanoha tightly, and stood up. Her hands were shaking, tears falling, but nevertheless she somehow managed Nanoha to an upright position, just like when she first saw Nanoha standing on the cliff. She smiled the best she could at the eyes that could no longer see, swallowing tears that would not stop,

"It's over... Right? You don't need to fight anymore."

Nanoha smiled, and nodded. She searched for the last strength in her other hand, and patted Hayate's cheek mechanically with a dying murmur, "I'm… sorry… Don't cry… Don't cry…"

The scarlet core cracked, and Raising Heart shattered. Metal crumbled into dust as a gust of wind carried away golden and crimson to the heavens below.

Her fingers slackened. Her breathing stopped.

"Nanoha?"

_This is the place I regained my wings, Hayate. And now…_

"_Nanoha?"_

_It is time for me to give them back._

"_NANOHA!"_

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Death'. Next selected time year 0082 month 6 day 2 1001. Begin playback.]_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes: Chapter 6 completely revamped (But unedited). Took me around 7 hours I think? Thanks to the two reviewers who one, clearly stated the fault of this story and the other, also quite clearly pointing out the flaws of this chapter, I have rewritten chapter 6 entirely in an attempt to shed some light to the matter. Please give your continuous support so I could continue to improve this story. Thank you!**

**Chapter 7 should be posted as planned, but it would probably be at the very last second, I'm not sure. There are many things in this chapter that directly affects the future chapters that I've written, and I'll have to make some major changes (Style of writing, etc. The dialogues are insanely smooth for me here, although that's usually what I struggle with most).**

**And now let me go to the toilet and vomit my heart out. This is not a chapter I had enjoyed writing despite the sense of fulfillment; drifting between certain amounts of self-loathing, milk tea, and a gloomy day that would not stop raining.**

_'Project Future's objective is the test to create eternal peace enforcers through cloning, with selective removal of all on-birth genetic defects and bodily injuries. With the exception of long term espionage, war participation and constitutional crisis, a peace enforcer cannot in any way attack the Bureau. A peace enforcer must perform a minimum of three AA ranked (and above) missions per year, and the Bureau may request the enforcer to handle up to seven missions per year. However, he/she may or may not choose to accept as long as he or she abides to the minimum requirement. A peace enforcer must report at least once directly to the Peace Committee whenever he/she completes a mission. A peace enforcer will not be subjected to any forms of restriction to his/her life. A peace enforcer may use any methods necessary to complete the mission, but the Bureau reserves the right to terminate the subject if deemed necessary, under the abidance of the TSAB International Law in Administrated Worlds, and Local Law in Non-administrated Worlds._

_The Bureau reserves the right to terminate a peace officer in any case of a Breach of Contract.'_

Hayate's headache grew exponentially worse for every line she read, and she threw the rough draft – so bad it can't even be called a first – unceremoniously onto the table with barely suppressed irritation, "I'm sorry, but let me make this clear: you call _this_ a legal draft?"

"Why of course," answered Major General and Head of the TSAB Law Committee Kennel Yappielore, whose name apparently read as stupid as his work and in total ignorance of the commander's dripping sarcasm, "I spent a whole night writing this you know, and I'm quite proud of the results. All that's left is to let my secretary add in the details and we're good to go."

_To where? Your unemployment? _Thought Hayate ill-humoredly. The paper was supposed to be readied and done six months ago, but if she heard the rumors right Kennel got himself so drunk one night in the office that he somehow managed to delete his mail account and fed every single paper he could find into the shredder. In a way he was absolutely impressive; you cannot find anyone better suited for the word 'clown' and 'idiot'. Naturally her follow-ups did not reach anywhere, and after that mad battle with Nanoha she totally forgot about the issue. It was a terrible, _terrible _oversight on her part, and Hayate made a mental note to find out whoever his secretary is and pull him/her into Special Duty Section 6, or just anywhere but around this man. She cannot for her life imagine how he had made it to the top save for licking someone's ass – Ugh, what horrendous _image_ – and while her left hand and speaker of today's meeting Griffith Lowran apparently shared the same opinion on his face, he managed a small laugh and said good-naturedly, "Well, the draft certainly covered almost er, everything. So, does anyone have an opinion on this?"

Hayate winced as General Rektor Magia – Commander of the Cranagan's Defense Force after Regius' death, a strong looking man at his early sixties whose vigor and violence does not reflect his age at all – slammed his fist on to the table and roared, "An _opinion_? Did you even need to _ask? _This piece of _shit_ here," he grabbed his own copy of the draft, tore it to shreds and tossed it madly at Kennel's stunned face, "is total _garbage_. _What_ peace enforcer? _What _is a Peace Committee? _What _BoC when there's not even a contract to talk about? I asked for a full analysis of the legal implications this project would bring and _this_ is what you give me? Are you _fucking_ stupid?"

"Y – You! _Nobody _calls me stupid! I'll sue you! I'll sue your f – f – fucking pants off!"

"_Please_ do," Rektor sneered with contempt, "I would _love _to see how you're going to explain on court when I sue you back for such _groundless_, _unjust_ accusation, not to mention that this is a _top secret _meeting. Now get _out _of my sight, you _useless chicken_."

"I, I'll –"

"_Get. Out."_

The terrified man scrambled out of the room as he crashed his head onto the sliding door and half stumbled on all fours. In his panic he had left an expensive looking pen on the table, and General Rektor did not hesitate to pocket it for himself. Hayate breathed a sigh of relief and mumbled, "Can't you do that with less expletive words? It feels like my brain's bleeding out of my ears."

"Can't help it, my blood pressure skyrockets every time I see that f – idiot around," Rektor sank like a rock onto his chair and glanced an eye at Hayate, "and you. You on the other hand, make me feel so cold it's like hell freezing over, and a lot more so today. It'll be the death of me if I don't get rid of at least one of you."

"C'mon now people, that's enough fight for one day," said Sonya Tahiri, Head of the TSAB Armed Force Research Center. He was a black-skinned man who cut an Afro bomb for his head, wore a pair of round, huge glasses and wore only one glove on his left hand claiming that his right hand is so squeaky clean that it doesn't need a glove. He was also the man who made the nasty remark about dissecting Nanoha and was rewarded with a kick under the groin by Hayate. He said he was honored. In short, he was one of the weirdest people Hayate has ever seen in her life.

And together, they were the only three people (Kennel does not count) in the entire universe who knew exactly and administered everything about Project Future.

"Hmph, I guess. Captain Griffith Lowran," Rektor gestured at her aide, but with a politeness and respect totally unlike the man he was before, "Thank you for your service, and I apologize on behalf on my 'friends' here to call you over just to act for the sake of that stuck-up Kennel. You may leave."

"Thank you, General. I shall take my leave," Griffith gave a firm salute and walked away, but not before winking at Hayate to show that he understood. She winked right back in apology.

"Now then," Rektor said immediately after the door was shut, "Let us cut straight into the heart of matter. As you all already know, former enforcer Fate Testarossa Harlaown has escaped from the hospital."

_He was not joking alright. Put that right in front of my face, too, _"Yes, I've seen the notice yesterday night."

"She even broke that super genius Jail Scaglietti from his prison too! What an interesting turn of events!" Sonya rubbed his hands gleefully in obliviousness to their baleful stare, "Has a capture warrant been issued, I wonder?"

"Of course. She did it on broad daylight, for god's sake," Rektor said irritably, "Within the hour of their escape we had mages scouring for every crook and nanny in the city. But here's the thing: Our patrols found them hiding abroad a passenger spaceship, and had managed to force them into a corner. And then they vanished."

Sonya scratched his chin with confusion on his face, "Er, come again, dear Rektor? Vanished?"

"Yes, and don't call me dear," Rektor propped a hand on the table for his chin, "_Vanished_. Every single mage in the unit swore on their lives that those two was just _gone_ in front of their eyes. No spells, no IS, no teleportation, nothing of any sort we've seen before, and the ship was under heavy AMF fields. But of course, the ones leading the capture team was one former Scaglietti cyborg named _Sein_, so we threw her – all of them – in prison until a decision is made. I suppose that you and the Church have nothing to do with this, do you?"

The general's piercing gaze snapped suspiciously at her direction, but Hayate saw nothing, felt nothing, and answered with a coldness that could match ice, "I know nothing. Also, I cannot guarantee for the cyborg or the Church, but I am inclined to think that they're telling the truth. It sounded too stupid to be a lie."

"Ah, but that what's make it _work_ sometimes, especially when we're facing against the unknown," Sonya chided with a playful wave of his hand before stopping abruptly at Hayate's heart-stopping gaze, "But Hayate is correct. There are more convincing lies a Combat Cyborg of her caliber could tell."

"I agree. Which is why I've released them the next hour and sent them on a wide-scale search," Rektor answered unexpectedly, and both Hayate and Sonya stared at the general in surprise. The man shrugged a shoulder and smiled tiredly, something Hayate has almost never seen for the long years of their association, "This vanishing case does correspond to the Cranagan Serial Killing Incident, and I want the Church's knowledge and expertise on this. And besides, antagonizing them is seriously one _motherfucking _tiring thing to do. Sorry, Hayate."

The commander thought of her smiling blonde friend, dear Carim Gracia. She nodded her acknowledgement.

"And now, the money question. Da-dum!" Sonya interrupted with an out-of-tune drum-rolling noise, and both man and woman stared at the scientist wondering why the hell they let the guy into the meeting. But he was right.

"So," Hayate started slowly, "Why did Harlaown suddenly decide to escape from the hospital and break Jail Scaglietti out?"

No one said anything for a minute until finally Rektor asked, "How was her medical condition?"

"Deteriorating. But she obviously remembers Scaglietti as a criminal."

"She's got her Device too. Inside job?"

"No idea, we don't have a surveillance camera inside the room, and the one at the corridor caught nothing."

Hayate thought back to the day she and Verossa visited Fate. Could it be, by any chance, that Fate remembered how Verossa had gone mad? Did she know Verossa had died? Did she think that she had killed Verossa? She had not seemed that way when Hayate asked Signum to check on her friend.

But it still doesn't explain why she went through the trouble to save Jail Scaglietti. And how on earth did she get hold of Bardiche?

"We'll have to assume the worst case scenario. Harlaown must've heard about Project Future,"

_Thump_. The blow struck heavy and unexpected, and Hayate had to struggle to keep a poker face and freeze her trembling hands. Not that. _Anything_ but that. She turned her head very carefully to face Rektor, and asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the general replied in surprise, "Right now, Project Future is all about the cloning of Nanoha Takamichi, her spouse. Scaglietti was the scientist who started Project Fate and created the Combat Cyborgs. Hawlaown certainly has a motive to seek him out if she learns that her beloved was involved in cloning."

Hayate closed her eyes, "So you're saying that Harlaown learns of Project Future, but doesn't know who's responsible for the project, and so she went to Gruen to seek the only one left she knew to be a master of this kind of technology."

"And Scaglietti tells her that he doesn't know shit about Nanoha's cloning, got her confused, then the alarm goes WEEEEEEEEE and so she broke him out of the prison to learn the truth? Well, the theory certainly fits what we caught on film, although there's no sound. And the two of them bleeding mumbles when they speak, most likely to avoid anyone knowing their conversation," Sonya concluded with a satisfying _snap_ of his fingers. Satisfying to himself that is, but Hayate could feel nothing of that sort. She was feeling something _sticky_ on her hands again. _No._

"That sounds about right. But we still don't know who gave Hawlaown her Device and set her free… If I knew who that _rascal_ was I'll break his – or her – legs into two," Rektor muttered angrily under his breath.

"Uwa, you're certainly not pulling any punches here…"

Hayate had had enough of the discussion. Abruptly she held up a hand and said loudly, "This is all just pure speculation; let's talk about what measures to take instead. General Rektor," she pointed at the man, "You will conduct the investigation to find Scaglietti and Harlaown and deal with them as necessary. Sonya, you will go through all the footages – yes, _all, again, I don't care _so stop giving me that face – in the research facility and see if you can find anything at all that could hint at how the Device disappear. Can we close off this matter now?"

General Rektor narrowed his eyes dangerously, and Sonya practically snarled, albeit for different reasons. Slowly the general pulled forwards and answered, "I could undertake the investigation, but you know how I do things… your friend might die."

"_If _you can find her first," Hayate retorted back with a freezing smile. For a moment the situation looked like it would explode any second, but then Rektor sank back into his chair quite comfortably, and said no longer. She did the same, as with a single deep breath cleared the fog out of her mind. There was only one thing left to talk about, and all she wanted now was to end the meeting as quickly as possible.

"Now then, about the Key."

Both Sonya and Rektor frowned upon the mention. Hayate ignored them and pressed on stubbornly, "As you all know the boy is now being protected by the Bureau – if you could say being locked twenty four seven within this Main Office so – but right now, I would like to formally request for the kid to be put under my direct care."

"Rejected," Rektor shook his head.

"No way in hell," Sonya agreed unanimously. It was rare for the two of them to ever agree on anything, but apparently they were united on this matter. As if that would stop her.

"This is the same case as Vivio Takamichi, clone of Saint King Olivie."

"It is not. The Saint Church was involved last time, and the Bureau had to give ground."

"All the same, the state we're putting him in now is against everything the TSAB stands for. He has no freedom, he has no rights, he's a _kid_ dammit."

"For anyone else, I would agree with you," Rektor shook his head decisively, "but not this one. He is the only survivor after Nanoha Takamichi and Fate Testarossa Hawlaown, of _Grey Christmas_. And until he tells us what he knows of the incident the boy is not getting out of here."

"Many people have died in that incident," Hayate said quietly, the mist in her eyes as if replaying the terrible scenes she saw, on that day, "but that is no reason to deprive a child of his freedom."

"Freedom doesn't give a shit when an entire city of people died like slaughtered pigs."

"And why do you care?" Sonya interrupted the argument with open arms, and there was an unknown anger that seemed to flare from the depth of his heart. For once, the scientist was actually _serious_, "You didn't do anything when we lock up the kid so long ago. Why do you care _now?_"

Hayate looked straight into Sonya's eyes and answered, "You are right, I did nothing. I could've done something but I did not, so I would not pretend to be otherwise. But let's think of it this way: What we want is information from the kid, and our current method clearly does not work. So why don't we try something else?"

"We did try, if you bothered to check our past attempts. You forget his special ability. He will see through your deception so fast you won't even have time to say, Oops," Rektor commented sarcastically.

But Hayate did not give up persuading, "Perhaps. But what do we have to lose? No one knows about his existence. At worst people would start some wild speculation that I had an illegitimate kid with Yuuno, which by the way I don't care one bit at all. And what if he knows that I'm just fishing? At the very least," she spoke with every ounce of belief on her tongue, daring the General to challenge her, "my wish for him to have a family is _true_. And that is more than _anything _the two of you can say."

Silence wrapped the world. Two hours passed since the beginning of the meeting, but neither felt nor cared for the fleeting time. Two stares glared intensely at her; one burning, one cool, and perhaps Rektor didn't know himself, but when he was silent the man wore a gaze cold enough to kill the sun. Finally the general spoke,

"It's not just Grey Christmas. You _know _he is the key to Project Future. _You started everything_. His Inherent Skill is one and only, and no matter what you do, he will _never_ regain his freedom."

"Even so."

"_Hypocrite_."

Rektor whispered softly. Hayate did not flinch. Minutes passed by fluidly, and finally the General answered, "Good enough. You shall have the boy."

Sonya looked at him in disbelief; cannot understand the words entering his ears. And then he protested, "But _General_ –"

"Let it be, Sonya. You cannot fault the commander for being sentimental," Rektor eyed her closely, "her closest friend _died in her hands after all_."

Pure reflex punched her hand straight for the general's throat. It was only at the last second Hayate managed to hold back, one millimeter away from what would most definitely have been a dangerous, if not fatal blow. But she held back. She had never felt such a terrible, murderous impulse further inflamed by many days of sleepless nights, but she held back. She held.

The general took a step backwards, and bowed his head. Sonya followed at Rektor's back as they both exited the meeting room, leaving behind the transient, but chilling well of madness.

She cried.

**_ [Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Sin'. Next selected time year 0082 month 6 day 3 1100. Begin playback.]_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes: And I was right; there are so many things I have to change. Oh well.**

Hayate hummed lightly, fixing her black tie and checking her overalls from the mirror's reflection. She wore a familiar brown uniform and white undershirt, which she personally thought too stiff and formal to meet a child. But military rules and regulations deemed otherwise, and so she shall obey. Best to avoid any possible silly pitfalls now that she has angered quite a number of high ranking officials.

_If I get myself fired…_

Abruptly she turned away from the mirror and went straight for the door. Hayate strode purposefully downstairs, and the clamor from below reached cheerfully into her ears.

"It's black."

"Shut up! It's just slightly overcooked! That's all!"

"It smells like smoke."

"What? You better get a new nose, cause' my dish is just fine!"

"It tastes horrible."

"Then you should get a new tongue as well! I'll show you – Guehh! What the hell? That ain't right at all!"

Hayate grinned bitterly to herself; it sounded like Vita was trying to cook again. The first time she tried the entire house went up in flames before Hayate casted a freezing spell in panic to douse the fire. That was back when she was still nine years old, and now twenty one years later, Vita was still admittedly a bad cook. Terrible, really. Let her near a stove and it'll explode in eagerness.

_Oh well. Black eggs, bacons, bread are signs of tremendous improvement compared to that. Might as well just go down and greet my family._

Her entry down the living room and to the kitchen was immediately noted. Shamal burst into a huge smile and received her, "Good morning, Mistress. How are you feeling?" She took a sideway glance to the kitchen and chuckled, "Perhaps we should eat out today, just in case?"

Hayate replied with a wave of hand, "Good morning. And it's fine, I don't want to waste Vita's efforts. Can you get me a glass of milk please?"

"Sure, right away."

Hayate smiled amusedly she saw Shamal took a deep breath of oxygen before charging into the kitchen, and went to sat beside Zafira on the dining table. She rubbed his head affectionately, "Good morning, Zafira." The guardian beast muttered a short 'morning' in reply and resumed his nap, with the additional comfort of her slow, smooth petting. Today seemed a day just like any other, but she felt a sense of discrepancy clinging lightly in her heart; the house seemed to be missing a few more people. She scanned her surroundings and listened intently at the voices before finally asking,

"Where did Rein and Agito go?"

Zafira did not answer immediately. He took his time to think and compose his sentences before replying, "Rein went to the office to take care of some matter. Signum sent Agito along to look after her. Signum actually wanted to accompany Rein, but she believes that if she leaves Agito and Vita alone they would burn the whole neighborhood in flames."

The answer was precise, controlled with a flavor of humor, but Hayate could sense an involuntary, sudden shudder of muscle, and that meant that something was wrong. But her guardian beast never lies, so Hayate ran through her head all the possible things that Zafira might avoid saying, and could only come to one reluctant revelation. It was not a good one.

"Oh. Good job on Signum's part, or else we'd have needed to find a new home somewhere."

She continued petting. Hayate could feel a deep vibration at his throat, and interpreted it as a sigh of relief. She made sure that her body languages were under control so as not to betray her own bitter emotions. She didn't want them to worry.

_I didn't want them here at all._

"… Tch."

Zafira looked upwards with a weird look in his eyes. Hayate smiled back with control, but she wasn't sure that he didn't feel the stiffness of her movements, or the sweat gathering under her palm, or perhaps even heard that monstrous_ sound of the wind_ –

She heard a shuffling sound at the general direction of the black smoke, and immediately arranged her movements to be as natural as possible. Just as she was about to greet her family, she saw the little red knight carrying in a smoldering dish of vegetables and fruits, and Hayate felt keenly the enormous sweat drop often drawn in Japanese mangas. This _was _most definitely not within expectations. Vita's head drooped to a new low and nearly buried into the ink black cinders as she spoke without spirit, "Sorry, Hayate. I wanted to do something to help you, but this…"

Hayate stood up and took the dish. She stared thoughtlessly at the charcoal-like food, and at once judged it to be inedible. It wouldn't be just a stomachache if anyone tried to eat this, Living Lost Logia or not. She found herself saying,

"It's okay, Vita. You just need to try harder next time."

"I'm really sorry. You seemed so down lately, so I wanted to cheer you up, but all I did was to mess things up…"

She felt a shoot of irritation, but she suppressed the impulse, "It's okay."

"I won't do it again next time, I swear! I definitely won't –"

Suddenly it was too much to bear, and Hayate exploded, "_I said it's okay! Why won't you just shut up?_"

"Eh…?"

"Mistress?"

Hayate realized her slip-of-the-mouth too late. Vita's expression was a blank shock of disbelief and hurt, and the comfortable morning was instantly strangled by an alarming jelly of chillness. Hayate realized with a sudden stab of horror that she did not feel the slightest tinge of remorse. In fact, after hurting terribly the family member that was closest to her, she was actually feeling… _better_.

Signum walked towards her in alarm, motioning at a stunned Shamal to go for Vita. The fire head was literally in _tears_, and had to hold back a sniffle every time she breathed. _What have I done? _It was simply too much, _too much_ for the brunette to endure, and she shot up a hand snappily, "I'll take my breakfast outside; There's someone I have to meet at twelve. I… Just let me be alone for a while. Just…"

She left, never turning back her head once.

* * *

><p>Hayate looked closely at her communicator, blinking her eyes. Today seemed to be a day full of surprises.<p>

_Location of transfer is changed to the usual training ground. Key's request._

Hayate never saw the Key in real person, and knew him only through papers and screens. She remembered the picture to be of thick black hair, white teeth and vivid azure eyes, thinking that he was handsome for a kid but nothing else. He was the sole civilian to have survived the incident called Grey Christmas, and has been under the TSAB's protection ever since. Originally Hayate was supposed to supervise the child, but because she had her hands full dealing with the incident's aftermath she had asked Nanoha to take over her position, and it was during that short period of time the TSAB accidentally discovered the boy's Inherent Skill. Since then… _No. Blaming myself over past faults would not change anything. Anything at all._

The guilt gnawed deeply into her heart all the same.

But Hayate did not know the boy was so special that he could influence Rein to change their meeting location. No, it was _Rein _who went to find _him _in the first place without her knowledge. This should've been within her calculations. She should've expected it. She wondered how many more surprises she could take before another outburst like this morning would happen. The irritation she'd been feeling all day was beginning to burn painfully again at this little turn of events.

_Just what is going on with me?_

She walked. Eventually the brunette reached to the familiar hallway, and suddenly her stomach lurched at the realization that this was the exact path she took before meeting up with Nanoha, and fought her. Hayate rubbed her eyes roughly, but the sight of course did not disappear. It was like a recreation of that fateful day.

_Is _she _here? Impossible, the clone is on duty; I sent her out myself. She cannot be here._

Hayate checked her time. _Twelve, _the exact time same time she chose their confrontation. _She_ was the last person in the world Hayate would want to meet right now. Panic slowly crawled up her windpipe, but the truth could only unveil one way. As she dug her nails deeper into her palm, she prayed for a steel of nerves and walked forwards.

As she stepped out of the corridor Hayate shielded her eyes from the glaring sun with one injured hand. Right in the middle of the wide, scorching hot area was a tiny Rein and a child no older than nine, his thick black hair a grim beacon of darkness amidst the blinding light. Agito was missing from her view, but Hayate was not surprised; the day the two Unison Device conspired together would be the day pigs fly. There were no other welcoming parties, and the brunette sighed a breath of relief. _Not today_. She waved her hands in greeting and both people turned to look at her, but for some reason none of them budged a single step. They simply stared at her, unmoving and unsmiling. It didn't take long for doubt to slow her legs, to dull the smile off her face.

_What's going on?_

An animalistic instinct warned her about danger, and Schwertkreuz slipped deftly into her palm. Already words of magic bound her lips as she began pre-setting a variety of spells including Bind, Barrier, Bombardments. Her reasoning couldn't catch up with her actions, and out of nowhere euphoria seized her like madmen strangling babies. She punched air deeply into her lungs, pulling a veil of calmness over her mind to cage in the sudden bout of madness. _Nothing is wrong, _Hayate thought angrily to herself, _get a hold of yourself!_

She reached them. Hayate approached them and a clockwork smile sprang automatically to her face, "Good afternoon, I'm Captain Hayate Yagami, just call me Hayate. How are you feeling?"

He looked thoughtfully at her before landing a curt nod, "Fine." _Well that's kinda rude, _she thought to herself before recalling _his special ability_, but the damage has been done.

"So you know," the boy replied emotionlessly. Comforting words automatically sprang to her lips, but then she remembered that they were pointless. Her current words would not match the true emotions in her heart, so she had no choice but to tell the truth. There was no point in lying. There was no need to lie.

She felt a smile curling up her lips for the first real time in many days. Why is that?

"Of course I know. What did you expect?" she said while looking at him in the eyes, daring. He glared right back without reserve, and the staring contest continued for a full minute before Rein finally interrupted,

"Er, hello…? It's nice to see the two of you doing well with each other, but you know I'm like, right here…?"

"I don't recall my Device to be type who would sneak out without permission _and_ meddle in her Mistress' business."

"You're the one who asked for my help, so go hover somewhere else and stop talking."

Rein looked in shock at the still glaring duo, and flew away crying, "Uwaaa, you big bullies! I'm going to tell Signum about this, just you wait…"

Seconds later her aide vanished into the horizon, leaving the two of them alone and silent. For some reason Hayate did not feel that Rein was sad in the slightest at all, if not _glad_ about something. No matter, she'll dig it out of her sooner or later. Right now, she had a brat to handle.

"Hah, you're pretty rude yourself," the boy scoffed.

"You're the one who started it," Hayate retorted immediately.

"How childish. And you call yourself an adult?"

"Any deeper than that and the brat would not understand. Woops, did I just call you a _brat_?"

The weird squabble went on without stop. She knew their argument was childish as hell. She knew that they were totally pointless. But somehow, she didn't feel the slightest need to change her words, or even stop at all. No need. And because of that, they probably would never get along with each other for as long as they live.

And she was fine with that. Somehow, she really was.

"Do you have a name, brat?" Hayate changed suddenly the flow of the conversation.

The boy looked confused for a second but quickly caught up, "No I don't. Does it matter? You're still going to call me a brat anyway."

"Depending on your behavior, that can be true," she said slowly, "but you're going to be my family, and from now you will meet with different people… a whole new world. I _want _you to have a name," an impish smile suddenly sprang on her lips, "Unless you prefer to be called a brat by everyone else of course."

"Fine. Give me one then."

"You don't have a name for yourself?"

"There's nothing that I like, but maybe," he looked into her eyes, "Maybe you have one."

Hayate could see that he was serious, and in response she began thinking of a name that would suit the boy in front of her. It was easy to associate the naming with his special ability, but she didn't quite like that. She didn't like that the boy's life was defined by the ability he possessed, and not himself.

But if he cannot be defined even by his own abilities, then what meaning does his life hold? That is what he is. That is what he will always be.

_There is no need to lie. There is no need _not _trying to lie._

The word floated vaguely in her head, and she answered, "… You probably won't like this name."

"Being called a brat is worse. Shoot."

"Okay then," Hayate extended a hand to the black haired boy, smiling radiantly and _real_, "Welcome to my family… _Reunion_."

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Reunion'. Next selected time year 0082 month 6 day 28 1000. Begin playback.]_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes: Wow I barely finished editing this chapter just 10 minutes before the time I set, damn. Got distracted by funny articles from Cracked. Must. Not. Be. Distracted.**

**On a side note, I eventually will have to go back to Chapter 7 and 8 because there are things I feel that could've been written more. Right now I had my hands full writing my last chapter AND editing the others because of one single fact I changed in Chapter 6. Really, wow.**

There were crevasses on top of her forehead.

"Pff… Haha… Hahahaha…"

Hayate rolled her eyes, trying not to glare at a certain laughing healer. She patted the dust off her knight armor, and stood shakily with her staff as a support. She looked at her fingers. Then her legs.

Wobbly.

"And that would make eight to zero… Mistress Hayate, I could switch if you want to."

She rolled her eyes. She clicked her tongue; she hadn't wanted to do that again. How many times has it… she was too occupied to remember the count. As usual, Signum can be _such _a charmer. Normally she would take her time to think of revenge, but the current situation required her full attention. Her eyes landed steadily on those deep blue eyes, hidden as if within the depth of an ocean. He smirked.

It was infuriating, but the boy truly was _incredible. _

Hayate flexed her twitchy fingers, and readied a couple of trusty spells in her lips. Round nine was in bound, and she had ten seconds to prepare. A thought bubble popped into her head, but she shook her head and cancelled all of them. They would be useless anyway. Reunion had easily predicted her every move and countered as mercilessly as would dogs hunting rabbits. Her tricks wouldn't work.

This would be the fifth time she had no choice but to change her tactics. She couldn't remember the last year she was forced to improvise so many times. Hayate counted down to three. Two.

_One._

She flung her tome at his face, and leaped forwards. The short fifteen feet distance was covered in an instant.

The gasps came later, and she thought she heard Signum's as well. Very satisfying. Hayate slashed horizontally with her staff, missed. Reunion had charged forwards instead of escaping, missing the blow by a hair's breadth. His fists were ready.

But she predicted that. Immediately Hayate threw up a barrier in front of her, and watched closely at the boy's shuffling feet. She would not be tricked by his crafty distractions again. Left, right, back, front, left. The well timed barriers were holding. In a real battlefield she would be pulverized to dust, but one on one she could afford to stand still against a kid. In fact, he was so much faster that if she tried moving he could trip her three times before flipping over a mountain. She killed off the abominable imagination immediately.

_Back! _Hayate spun around and swung her staff as quickly as she could, trying to catch Reunion at the thighs. It was an ideal hit spot to prevent escape by jumping or crouching. At the same time, she blew several magic orbs in an arc around her. _If they hit him even once then I'll –_

Her eyes widened. The boy was _nowhere_ to be seen_._ Hayate looked around frantically for a glimpse of Reunion, and failed to notice the shadow falling from above her head. However, she did saw where the spectators' eyes are glued at.

"Gotcha!" She punched a stun beam upwards, and her eyes followed triumphantly. Sure enough, her magic struck the shadow square at the center and blasted it a few feet away. Hayate shook a fist and pointed at the fallen figure, "Finally! I mean, of course there's no way I would… lose?"

It cannot be, but the figure she thought was Reunion looked like a human size rock. She squinted, rubbed an eye. It was still a rock. Then she felt something poking at her ankle. Hayate looked down.

Reunion grinned. The boy then kicked both her legs horizontally wide at the same time, and for an instant Hayate was reminded of gymnastics on TV.

"Yaaaaaahhhhhh!"

Such a peaceful Saturday morning.

* * *

><p>The weekly sparring at the garden has permanently scored a zero liking from Hayate. The sound of her bones crunching still reverberated clearly in her ears.<p>

"Does it still hurt, Hayate?"

They were now all in the living room, enjoying a quiet moment of harmony. Later, they would go out together to the city and do some shopping, but for now, all Hayate could do was to hold in tears as Vita rubbed some healing oil near her sore butt and thighs.

Her fall turn out to be mighty indeed. It has been three hours since, and Hayate still shook like a leaf every time she tried to stand up. She had to be carried into the house like a baby by Vita, who refused to let Shamal do the work. Hayate only knew too well why, and telepathically requested the healer to let Vita do whatever she can.

That day, despite Hayate's sincere apologies and reassurances after returning to the household, Vita did not look the best of her conditions. In fact her performance was suffering, and she smiled a lot less than usual. In a way, it might even have reminded Vita of the day she failed to protect Nanoha. Hayate had felt terribly upset and guilty at the situation, and has been working to amend her wrongs since then.

_How terrible I am to make her feel like this._

She felt a hand on her shoulders, and looked up. Reunion wore a solemn but warm smile on his face, and suddenly her worries felt lifted. She turned to watch the ever arguing Rein and Agito, sleeping Zafira, peacemaker Shamal, Signum who's reading a newspaper.

"And… I'm done. It's alright now Hayate – Uwa!" She threw her arms around the red knight and held on tightly; ignoring the feeble struggles Vita's putting on.

"Vita," Her cheeks rubbed against Vita's, eliciting an almost unholy blush of red. Vita struggled a bit more, and then finally gave up.

"… What?"

"I just wanted to say… Thank you."

Vita's face turned even redder. She enjoyed the snuggling a little longer, avoiding the glances of her grinning family. Reunion nodded approvingly at the heartwarming scene, and began to turn away.

Hayate's eyes twinkled. She immediately punched an arm at the unsuspecting boy with a terrible war cry, "I got you now you little – Wooaaahhhh?" Reunion caught her arm almost lazily and executed a perfect Judo throw. Hayate was hurled halfway through space before she even knew it.

_CRASH!_

"Mistress?" "Hayate! You little brat – Eisen!" "Uwah, amazing…" "Wawawawawa, Mistress Hayate! Wake up! Don't follow the light!" "Ten to zero, huh."

Afternoon went by quickly, and shopping was canceled.

Dinner was merrier than usual.

One reason was that the main cook was down. The others began groaning almost immediately when Hayate announced dejectedly that she was too dizzy to even hold the frying pan. Crashing into a cupboard of books was apparently very detrimental to one's health. Reunion was of course, locked in a dark toilet somewhere where his screams of obscenities rang like music in her ears. Just kidding. But she still could not cook.

And that was a problem. Normally they would have just gone outside to eat dinner, but for some reason Hayate could not phantom, her knights were acting weird and not conforming to the norm. Shamal was laughing a little too high, Signum coughed a little too frequently, Rein and Agito was _not _fighting… Even Zafira was pacing back and forth in front of her like a dog in heat. And every time she tried to connect the word 'dinner' and 'outside', someone would immediately interrupt her.

They were trying to tell her something, and Hayate bit down her tongue and thought seriously. It was getting pretty late already, and if she doesn't figure out what's going on soon they might as well just skip dinner.

And then she noticed something. A missing face. A missing voice. _Of course! _She mentally cursed herself for not noticing it earlier and instantly made up her decision. Hayate stood up and began walking towards Vita. Her knight was hiding at a corner and staring at the floor with sad eyes, and she did not notice her approach. Hayate extended a hand, and Vita looked up in surprise.

"Eh?"

"You'll be cooking tonight. C'mon."

"Eh? Eh? But I'm no good, I –"

Hayate paused for a second, feeling the pang of guilt eating her from inside once more. Vita was too afraid to even hold her hand, as if the gesture would deal something irreparable to her heart. But running away would solve nothing. It was perhaps just a small step in everyone's life, but it was still a step forwards.

So this time, she would not wait. Hayate grasped Vita's retracting hand and smiled her greatest, "Don't worry. This time, I'll stay beside you and teach you all the way. I can't really help much the way I am now, so you better do your best!"

Vita looked dumbfounded, disbelieving. Then she turned her face away with glimmers of tears and yelled, "What the hell are you people staring at? Go away! Just you wait, tonight I'll cook the best meal you'd ever taste! Any complains are rejected!"

Family dinner proceeded rather smoothly; albeit a bit burned here and there but there was so much laughter and joy that it didn't really matter.

* * *

><p>"Reunion."<p>

Midnight. Everyone has gone to bed, and from the looks of it they'll all resume their separate lives tomorrow. Hayate pretended not to know, but it was hard to miss how coincidentally their current timetables adjusted to hers. Now that she has proven herself to be fine, these short but homely weeks would surely to an end. It was good that she was able to solve her problems with Vita before that. Hayate didn't want any lingering regrets.

There was one concern left, however.

The boy stopped right before his room with a hand already touching the door handle, and yet he made no attempts to open it. Hayate was leaning at the wall right beside him, hands folded.

"You did something to me with your magic, didn't you?"

And she didn't mean today's sparring when he read her mind and beat the shit out of her this morning. Ever since her meeting with Reunion, Hayate was no longer plagued by the whispers of her sin. She had never forgotten them, but for some unknown reason they simply did not weigh down on her conscience. The terrible nightmares that haunted her day and night, the illusions of blood that seemed to fill the floor every time she was alone; the madness, the impulse, the sense of slowly losing her very soul – they _all_ vanished without a trace. And Hayate could not believe that. She would not believe that.

It was simply too good to be true.

A smile. He took his time to get comfortable before answering, "Yes I did. Are you angry?"

Hayate took her time to think, "I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I have a reason to get angry at all; this is the first in a very long time that I have felt so happy… so _free_. But," she shook her head in the end and looked seriously at Reunion, "this is also _wrong_. I want to be happy… because I really do, and not because something made me so."

Reunion replied sarcastically, "_Everyone becomes happy because of something_. It can be your family, your lover, a gift, your birthday, dancing, eating, sleeping, _anything_. What difference does it make that my magic that makes you happy?"

"You know what I mean, Reunion," she eyed him closely, "There's a difference between 'I think' and 'I am made to think'. Just stop the magic. Please."

"And what if I don't?" A malicious smile sprang onto his face. It was a smile totally unlike a nine years old, and for a moment Hayate froze at the chilliness of his latter words, "What can you _do? _Let's say that I'm telling you right now that I've stopped my magic: Do you believe me then? You don't, do you, of course you don't. I'll do _anything _I want and there's nothing you can do to stop –"

_Slap! _Her palm smacked mercilessly across the boy's face, and Reunion was totally caught by surprise; for all his ability to read minds. And then Hayate hugged the boy strongly in her arms, and whispered,

"Do you remember what I said when I first welcomed you?"

"… Not really."

"I said, _welcome to my family, Reunion_, and I mean every word. _You are my family_. And family members don't hurt each other. And it's terribly rude to say something so nasty to your _mother_ now, don't you?"

The boy trembled slightly. Hayate pretended that she didn't notice and half-singed, "Now then, you little brat. What should you say when you did something wrong?"

"… I'm sorry."

"Correct. So never do it again, okay?"

She placed a hand on top of the boy, and patted. She thought the warmth very similar to the one from Vivio, and yet there was something different. _So this was what it means to be a mother…? Fate… Nanoha…_

Reunion suddenly pushed her away, and Hayate sighed instinctively at the lost warmth. His face was hard as stone as he spoke,

"This will be especially hard for you. The moment I cancel my magic you'll likely faint out of sheer pain. Are you sure you still want to do this?"

Hayate looked surprised for a second, but nodded firmly and quick, "It's nothing new. I can take it," and then she laughed jokingly, "I thought you said I wouldn't even know, you big liar."

But Reunion never smiled back, not even a curl of his lips. Indifferently he declared, "I cancel my magic."

The next second she tried to say something, the world abruptly split apart, and she fell to the floor with both hands clamped on her mouth. Almost screaming, Hayate desperately tried to hold her voice in, but it was so as she lay writhing on the floor, unable to withstand the onslaught of a million feelings that threatened to claw out of her heart, Hayate thought she heard something from Reunion. Something like a whimper. It was quickly drowned out by the cries of her knights.

Then, darkness engulfed her consciousness completely.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Heart'. Next selected time year 0082 month 7 day 5 1315. Begin playback.]_**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: When I first wrote this chapter, it had been somewhat overly dramatic, epic, wannabe tear-jerking etc. And then I edited it.**

**...**

**As a result, well... In short I hyperventilated. The first half became totally different from the original version. I have no idea how it happened. I tried to rewrite it in a brighter view, but my brain says no and gave me horrible lines so I had to discard them. After that I didn't dare to read through the latter part of the chapter and just skimmed through them for fact correction.**

**Well, at least I achieved one of the objectives I've set when I started this; that is to make someone feel like committing suicide. First volunteer is me, the writer himself.**

"You're awake, I see. Good timing."

Hayate opened her eyes. They were misty, but she made no move to rub them. The world of white looked prettier that way, she imagined a kaleidoscope and a blue butterfly and saw them spinning. One circle, two circle. Stop.

The game of focus treated her well, and Hayate was fully awake. Her gaze floated downwards, and it was a maple chair that she sat upon; its Japanese style somehow reminded Hayate of Lindy Harlaown. She was a strong and gentle mother to Fate, but that peculiarity of hers has always befuddled her friends and family. Hayate remembered the few lessons she had with Lindy, and wondered if she learned more about the structure and history of TSAB, or the art of teasing people. Perhaps, the latter.

She looked up. Her mirror self smiled softly and pushed a cup of red tea to Hayate's front. She picked up the tea and peered at its rippling surface, then took a sip. She grimaced.

"It's too bitter. Could I add some sugar?"

"Really? Oh well, here you go then." Out of nowhere a bag of sugar popped between Hayate's fingers, and she split the paper and poured it in. Another sip.

"Mm, much better."

"I would assume so, number two."

"I would not be baited, _Two._"

They glared defiantly at each other for one second, and then laughed at the same time. Her mirror image stopped first, and she put up her hands and consented, "Fine, I'll be Two. You'll forgive me for calling you Hayate then; I find it really weird to call my other self One."

"Whatever, we have an infinity of time here anyway." Hayate took another sip and paused. What did she just say?

Two confirmed her suspicions, "I'm inclined to think otherwise. If you really wanted to stay here though, then be my guest and enjoy your eternity."

Hayate placed down the cup and thought deeply, but her memories seemed scrambled and inaccurate. She couldn't remember the reason why she was here. Two leaned forward with a kind smile on her face, "You can't remember, can you? Need my help?"

Hayate took a moment more to think, then nodded her head and sighed, "Okay. Otherwise it might be a waste of time. Somehow, I think we're running short of it."

"Even though you just said we have an infinity of time?" A playful grin, index finger almost wagging. That was so like herself. She sighed again.

"Yes, yes. Now would you please…?"

Two leaned back at her sofa. Hayate's eyes narrowed; _that _she did not notice before. If they're equal selves, then why did she get a better seat? She sighed again. Her thoughts were not cheerful today.

"So, where do I start?" Two clasped her hands and began to speak, "If you do recall a boy you – Well we actually – picked up on June 3rd?"

"Ah, yes. Reunion. I remember. The troublemaker."

A smirk. Not _again._

"And you're not?"

"Look, I want to finish this quick…"

Two held up both her hands in appeasement, "Fine, fine. I'll skip straight to the point; neither you nor I want to remember how that kid made hell for us that morning."

Two winked, and Hayate almost slapped a palm on her own face. _Am I really such an_ _annoying person? _Her double continued on innocently,

"We had dinner later on, appointed Vita as the cook, and she was happy. Really happy. It was really good to see her smiling. Nothing much later on, until –"

Hayate turned pale. The memories flooded through and drained blood from her face. Even Two looked somber.

Ah.

"Yes."

They went silent for a while. Hayate took her time to scan her surroundings, but she could see, as expected, nothing but pure white.

She should speak. Two cut in first before she could try,

"Have you figured out the boy's powers?" It was a hard question to answer. During that one week her life had been turned around from shambles of despair to something better. Normal. What would have been if Nanoha hadn't died. Could have. But there was something more than just that, something nostalgic. It was the feeling of being young, carefree, innocent.

It was as if her heart was whole again.

"… I think so. If my suspicions were correct, then his Inherent Skill should be one that affects a person's mind, heart, soul, something like that. I also noticed that the knights seemed happier than usual, it could be because they shared a connection with me. I should've expected it," Hayate suddenly laughed, "I should've _known_ his power was more than just reading minds and manipulating memories. How could I've been so stupid?"

Two was silent. Listening.

"You know," Hayate started suddenly, "it was absolutely weird that I felt better after meeting him. Sure, he forced me to be happy, but I still remembered _everything_ that I've done. _Everything._" She looked at her own hands, and saw through her mind the blood of her dearest friend.

"_I killed Nanoha_. If I hadn't made that stupid promise with her, she would not have dared to challenge the enemy alone. If I had not let my feelings getting in my way and just spring my trap perfectly in that fight she would've been locked away somewhere, but at least _alive_. If only I wasn't so _fucking worried _about our _goddam_ friendship that day she came to the hospital I would've noticed that she meant that day to be the _last day we meet_. I've had _so many chances_. And now I actually dared to feel _happiness _after her death. A _mother._ Ha! Reunion could not have punished me any harder than god himself. _Hahaha!_"

Hayate dragged in a weary breath, and forcefully pulled her stare away, "I could not even bear to meet her clone. I feel that if I meet and admit her as Nanoha, it would deny the existence of that lonely grave. Just a single grave near that cliff, with only a few people to visit her. Fate doesn't know, Vivio doesn't know, _no one knows except me. _She doesn't deserve this. Nanoha doesn't deserve any of this… _shit_."

She pointed at herself and laughed in self-derision, "Look at me; saying all these stupid things! And what purpose does it serve? _To absolve myself of my sin, of course. _Rektor was right, I'm a fucking hypocrite to the bone, the truth is I'm willing to do _anything _to elevate this guilt. I even hurt _Vita_, and if Reunion hadn't come then.._. _Oh god. _God._"

_Drip._ Hayate wondered why her eyes were blurry, and realized that she was crying. But the words kept on going, and she cannot stop, "And for what I did all of these for, if I kept on holding back? I could have just listened to those whispers and it'll be all over, but I _held back._ Worse, I tried to patch things up after those terrible things I did, because _I was scared_. Coward. _Coward._"

Two stared quietly at Hayate, her eyes neither accusing nor sympathizing. She simply watched over Hayate as the latter tried to calm her ragged breathing, and it took several minutes that seemed like eternity. Two judged it appropriate to finally speak.

"Hayate… Have you forgotten?"

"…"

Two closed her eyes and opened her arms, a tranquil smile on her face, "Once upon a time, you were an orphan. You don't remember much of your parents, and you didn't have much to live. With half your body paralyzed and no cure in sight, there really wasn't anything to live for except to fulfill Dr. Ishida's hope. Do you remember?"

Hayate nodded stoically, "Ah. She didn't give up on me, so how could I?"

Two continued, "Later, the Book of Darkness awakened, and for the first time you have a real family. Felt real happiness. But even then, you already knew that happiness comes with a price. Everything does. Your condition was worsening every day, so you were already expecting death. But at the very least, you wanted everyone else to be happy. You willingly used the remaining days of your life to buy someone else's happiness, because you understood just how precious it is."

"And that hasn't changed even now, has it? If someone else has to get hurt, it might as well be me... That was your belief. However twisted or painful that logic might be, you swore that as long as there is one person out there who is unhappy, you will do whatever in your power to change that. No matter the cost on yourself. Have you already forgotten that promise?"

Hayate didn't answer, but Two's withering gaze was unrelenting. Finally a soft whisper escaped her lips, "… I did not."

"Good," Two said carelessly, "So tell me: Is Nanoha happy now?"

"… No."

"That's troubling, but here's a solution: People can become happy when their wishes come true. So, what is Nanoha's wish?"

Hayate hesitated, but she answered, "She hopes that no one else will be lonely, that she would always be there to be a friend."

Two leaned forwards, and Hayate found it straining to keep from shrinking away, "So you _do_ remember why she went after Fate? Why did she save _you_?"

She remembered.

"_I'll defeat you. Raising Heart is giving me all of its power! With its life and heart on the line, it's answering to my plea!"_

"_I asked it to save this crying girl!"_

"I don't _care_ how much pain you feel, Hayate," Two whispered so angrily she could scare the dead, "I don't care how much sadness is eating you up, how much you want to die in her place, _screw them all. _You have an obligation to Nanoha, and you better fulfill it. _Clone or not. _Don't you _dare_ use your feelings as an excuse, because as say, _you don't deserve it. You never will._"

Two's words stung like a bee in her ears. Like a swarm of hornets coiling inside her brain. Hidden behind those words was a deadly promise that no matter how many people she save, no matter how many happiness she bring to others, she would _never, ever _have redemption.

Hayate Yagami would never be forgiven for her sins.

One day, she will definitely be judged. She'll probably die a worse death than Nanoha's.

She was_ happy_. She was really, _really happy _to know that_._

Strength entered her legs, and suddenly Hayate wanted to be anywhere else but here. There was something she needed to do.

Hayate stood up and looked for an exit. She looked at Two for guidance. The brunette simply shrugged her shoulders, and pointed randomly at a direction.

_Anywhere would do._

Good enough. Hayate began walking, but as if remembering something she stopped,

"… Two. Just who are you?"

The white world flickered and faded, and the voice behind her grew quieter by the second. But Hayate caught on to every word, and smiled. She started running.

"When the scars faded and your wounds healed, a broken heart mended whole again… _you_ tell _me_."

The world shattered.

* * *

><p>Utter darkness. It was a color she was getting pretty familiar with. Her magic bore a light of white after all. It was only fitting that the strongest light would give birth to the darkest black.<p>

_Not today._

Hayate crawled her consciousness outwards, and was rewarded with heart wrenching misery. The sudden and exceeding outflow of emotions before must have indirectly affected her body system as well. She wondered briefly whether Reunion ever considered the possibility that she might very well have died of shock, and decided it wasn't worth thinking about.

Anyway, this was good news. Pain meant awakening. Discomfort meant living. She would have chosen the opposite any other time but today, just for today, it was fine.

"Hayate?"

Vita. Good, her hearing's functioning. Now to get her tongue rolling so she could talk. Her eyes were too tired to open more than barely a slit, but a slit it was, and light dropped in. She could see. Very good. Oh right, she nearly forgot that she needed to speak.

"Vi… ta…"

"Hayate! Just wait right here, I'll call the doctor –"

_Pa! _Bull eye. She thanked herself to have good womanly instincts, and made sure her arm stay latched on to Vita's. Her red knight was obviously puzzled and worried, not sure whether she should pull away or just stay. Hayate tried speaking once more.

"Wa.. it. Time… Date." Her throat felt hoarse and broken; her voice barely above a whisper. So she did scream out after all? From the sound and feeling of it, the possibility that she screamed out blood wasn't farfetched at all.

"Er wait, let me think… Today is July 5th, one fifteen in the afternoon. And Hayate, can you… I want to call…?"

A week. She was out for a whole _week_? No, forget about that, more importantly, was Nanoha on an assignment now? Think! The last time she checked on the brunette's schedule she remembered that... today was a public holiday. Nanoha was free, but tomorrow she'll be sent to another world for a reconnaissance mission. Hayate was short on time, even if she's feeling like a soccer ball kicked sore all over the place. She needed to move.

"Vita… Help me up."

"Eh?" Now her voice sounded almost normal. It would've taken months on Earth if she were treated through science instead of magic.

"I need your help. We're leaving for… wherever Nanoha is. Now."

"What are you talking about? And why suddenly about Nanoha? Anyway, you just stay – _right_ – here –"

Vita pried at her fingers and pulled a little harder, and Hayate swore she could hear some part of her bones breaking. For a second she almost let go, then her stubbornness finally caught up and she thought, _Fine then! I've been through much worse! _Hayate imagined her own hand as some sort of a flesh rope – which wasn't really encouraging, but still – and imagined it to be not part of her. Her own fingers had been willed to harden as unbendable as steel, with each attempt to pull free only made Hayate clenched tighter. It wasn't long before Vita gave up and almost begged, "Hayate, please let go off my hand, it really hurts!"

Hayate paused. Her grip slackened a little, and she almost gave away the weakness in her palm. Her face softened as she tried the gentle approach, "Vita, please. You must take me to Nanoha. If we don't find her today it would be too late."

"What is it? What's so important? Can't we just send her a message and be done with it?"

It was a good point, except that there was a little problem. Hayate shook her head and said, "No. I'm sure she won't mind, but _I _do. This time, at least… I must be the one to meet her. Please help me, Vita."

"But you're injured! You can't even move your legs, can you?" Vita wasn't blind to her wriggling even under blankets.

Hayate conceded, "That may be true, but it would be in a minute. If not, you can always carry me behind your back."

"B – But!"

Vita spluttered. On one hand every cell in her body wanted Hayate to stay put every time she was reminded by her Mistress' torturous scream and mad flailing that day. On the other… There was a gleam of fiery determination in Hayate's eyes that Vita has not seen for a very long time. Should she really stop her?

"Please, Vita… I don't want to have any regrets."

Hayate meant every word she said. She got a feeling that if she delayed it to some other time, she would lose something important. She would let Nanoha hear her feelings today, even if it meant crawling the entire distance by herself.

Hayate looked at Vita. The little knight was silent, but still unrelenting. Perhaps she was hoping that Hayate would give up the insane idea. _I guess I have no choice but to use a trick. _She inwardly sighed and apologized to her knight. Abruptly she let go of Vita's hand, causing the little knight to fall back a little in surprise. She then immediately turned to the other side of the bed and reached for the floor, carefully balancing herself so that she wouldn't accidentally bump a head and faint till morning –

"Stop, stop! I'll do it! I'll carry you, just don't move, you're injured!" Vita panicked and leaped to hold her Mistress lest she fell from her bed. With a deftness that neither of them expected, Hayate circled her arms around Vita's back and locked them tight. With a playful tone she singsong into her little knight's ear, "You promised, then. Off we go!"

Vita heaved a deep sigh. There was a resigned look in her eyes, and she held Hayate tightly with one arm and headed towards the door with a grunt. Her Mistress' wish was absolute as usual.

"Fine. Where can we find her?"

"Try the Takamachi household; she should be with Vivio now. Oh, and one more thing," Hayate grinned sweetly, "Use the window."

* * *

><p>She wasn't there.<p>

They had landed softly just before the door when Hayate urged Vita to let her down so that she could stand. It was impossible to hide her weakness, but she didn't want to worry Vivio too much and perhaps, god forbid, phone up the others. The thought of Signum hunting them down like a bloodhound was terrifying. Then there was Rein's wrath to behold as well; Hayate only remembered too well how freezing cold it was every time the unison device touched her with a radiant smile on her face. She was lucky not to get frostbites. And Shamal…

A chill blew over the duo, and every hair on their body stood stiff.

"Let's make a hundred percent sure that Shamal does not catch us now."

"Should I put up a jammer?"

"Please do."

Once Vita was done with her preparations, Hayate drew in a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. Almost immediately a loud 'Yes!' sounded down from above followed by some thunderous stomps of footsteps, and the door burst open. She had to lean partially on Vita just to stop her legs from shaking, but she greeted a wide-eyed Vivio with a calm demeanor.

"Long time no see, Vivio."

"Yo."

"Aunt Vita, Aunt Hayate! But I thought you were in the hospital! Are you alright now?"

"Still weak, but yes," she smiled and patted the now teenager's head affectionately, "I'm okay. So, how were things going between you and Einhart?"

Vivio blushed red as Hayate grinned with growing warmth in her heart. It doesn't matter how many years have passed; Vivio would always be Vivio.

"Mou! Why do you always ask that the first thing we meet? I told you, we are just –"

"Hmm? So who was it, Vivio? Ah…" From out of nowhere, a twin tail popped out from behind a corner and the blonde was muted. Hayate nodded meaningfully with a 'I totally understand' look on her face and faced Einhart, pretending not to notice Vivio's failed attempts to explain, "Good afternoon, Einhart. How are you doing?"

The latter bowed politely and replied, "I'm fine, thank you. Hmm…" She glanced casually at her shivering legs, and Hayate caught on the message immediately. Deciding not to dilly dally any longer, she asked them, "Actually, I came here to see Nanoha. Is she here?"

"No, she went out this morning. She said that there's a place she wanted to visit, and asked Einhart to keep me company. Like I told you, it's not what you think!" Vivio was still flustered over Hayate's teasing, and did not notice the troubled looks on the duo's face. Hayate looked at Vita for direction, but the red knight simply shrugged helplessly. She tried again, "Okay. Did she mention exactly where she's going?"

Vivio shook her head, "No. I wanted to follow, but she refused. Mama said it was a sad place that I shouldn't go."

The sadness was evident on her face. She held timidly onto Hayate's sleeves and asked, "Aunt Hayate, do you know what's going on with Nanoha-mama? She's been acting weird lately… I think it's because that Fate-mama was…"

_Gone._ Hayate felt a deep pang of sadness in her chest, but she put on a brave face and smiled reassuringly, "I will find your Fate-mama back no matter what, don't you worry. And Nanoha… I think I know where she is. I'll bring her back before dinner, okay?"

She wiped a trickle of tear off the emotional girl's cheek. From behind, Einhart hugged Vivio gently and rubbed her hands, soothing her sorrow. Hayate motioned Vita to carry her once more, not wanting to disturb the duo any longer. Before they left though, the mischievous commander turned around and said solemnly to Einhart, "I'll be leaving Vivio in your care. I trust that you would make her happy while I go and get Nanoha's permission?"

The innocent girl was at first confused, "Sure, of course I'll take care of her…? Eh?" and then realization caught up, and her face puffed crimson like a tomato. Einhart was no longer a child, but right now she looked like she could faint in embarrassment. Hayate glanced downwards.

Despite the teasing, Einhart hands wrapped firm around Vivio. The latter too leaned comfortably against Einhart, her face down to hide a permanent blush on her cheeks.

_They'll do just fine. I'm proud._

They waved goodbye as they took to the skies. When Vita gained sufficient height, Hayate whispered a name into her ear and pointed at a direction. The red knight looked dumbfounded for a second, but did not waste time to think. As lashes of wind whipped strongly against their faces, dark thoughts inevitably crept sneakily into her mind. She prayed, not for herself but for a dearest friend. _Be strong, _Hayate thought worriedly of Nanoha as they rapidly approached the hill behind Aeris Hospital_._

_I'm coming._

* * *

><p>"This place is so… beautiful." Vita murmured breathlessly. It was a rare praise from the knight, and Hayate would have agreed wholeheartedly if that day never happened. Fading sunlight dyed the world with shades of orange, yellow shadows growing darker by the minute. Night was coming, and soon this little world would be covered a blanket of darkness as black as ink.<p>

There stood a nameless slab of stone at the edges of a jutted cliff, wholly unnatural to its environment and utterly alone except for the light's warmth and few occasional visitors. Hayate's attention was caught by one such visitor; a first timer without flowers in her hand. Of course there wasn't. The familiar ponytail was missing. Instead her hair was let loose to run wild against the wind, fluttering and dancing ever so gracefully at the flow of air. And yet she stood so still, ignorant to the phenomenon that could not shake her.

There was Nanoha, sleeping eternally under that lonely grave on a lonely cliff. There was Nanoha, living and staring at the grave she slept, almost breathing.

Hayate could not bear it. She would not bear it.

"Stay here, Vita. Don't worry," She held her protector's hand briefly, reassuringly, and then let go, "I'll be fine. Keep a lookout for us, okay?"

There were some serious doubts in Vita's eyes. She didn't understand this place, she didn't recognize that grave, and she didn't know why Nanoha was here. She especially hated the icy cold dread that crept up her spine like a million warning bells; it swept clean whatever positive feelings she held when they flew up this place.

But she trusted Hayate, and she trusted Nanoha. Okay, the latter was wrong in the head lately, but who in the world wouldn't be after Grey Christmas? She wasn't there during Nanoha's and Fate's encounter with the 'enemy' – it was utterly chaotic just trying to evacuate the fleeing citizens – but ever since then, her friends broke. Vita could see that clearly now. She regretted terribly for not noticing the emptiness eating away at Nanoha's heart.

_That's why, if even I don't trust her, then Nanoha would really be…_

She cocked Eisen onto her shoulders and walked away. She would show whoever stupid enough to interfere a glimpse of hell, "Ah. See you later. And Hayate…"

_Save her._

* * *

><p>"Nanoha."<p>

The twenty two steps to the brunette's side proved to be very enduring. She barely had enough breath left to speak when she poked tiredly at the brunette, and the latter wasn't responding.

"Nanoha." One of her knees wobbled, and she hastily grabbed on to Nanoha to steady herself. A chill ran up her hands and she nearly retracted in shock. Her palm was so _cold. _Just how long has she been standing here?

"… Hayate?" The familiar voice rang, but it sounded so broken, so sad. She gazed into those purple orbs, and they looked as if they were about to cry. But then Nanoha clenched her teeth tightly, and her face became stern, "Why are you here? I heard that you were admitted into a hospital."

_Heard. I was unconscious for a whole week, and she didn't visit me once._ And then Hayate remembered that _she_ was the one who sent her out on a mission, but the needles pierced her heart nonetheless. Hayate suppressed the pain and avoided the question, "I was, and now I'm out. Why are _you _here?"

Nanoha eyed her coldly, and for a moment the silence was stifling. Then the brunette finally relaxed and removed her gaze for the distant sunset, "I'm sorry… That was a terrible question. I shouldn't have said that."

There was another gust of wind, and Hayate shivered despite holding herself close to Nanoha. She looked at the simple grave, and then at her best friend. She couldn't imagine how Nanoha felt to visit her own grave. _Even if so. _The very thought gave her the strength to speak, "It was, but that doesn't matter. I promised Vivio to bring you back before dinner."

She easily trapped the brunette's attention. Nanoha had a frown on her face as she replied, "You went to see Vivio? But I thought… I see," she glanced at Hayate coolly, "You slipped out of the hospital."

Normally Hayate would've denied or threw in a playful joke, but time was limited. Her body was rapidly running out of juice. Besides, she was getting irritated with Nanoha's uncaring attitude, "Maybe I did, but it doesn't matter. I've flown long and far to meet you."

"You've found me then. What is it you want to talk about?" She replied without feelings, impersonal.

"_Nanoha."_

Hayate could barely contain her fury, but she was totally unprepared for what happened next. Nanoha abruptly threw off her arm, and she fell backwards with a frightened yell lodged in her throat. By some miracle she found herself still standing and a few feet away from the brunette, but then Nanoha shot her one of the most terrifying stares she's ever seen and nearly screamed, _"Don't call me that."_

Hayate laughed. Nanoha looked taken aback, and it sounded amazing even to herself, but she trusted her instincts and didn't stop, "What else should I call you then? Ace of Aces? Miss Flight Instructor? What do you propose then, _Nanoha?_"

The brunette shuddered violently and took one step forwards, but she immediately stopped herself and closed her eyes, "Say whatever you want. I'm going home." Her knees began to bent.

Sheer desperation ran through Hayate's veins as she thought frantically of a way to stop Nanoha. She couldn't understand her friend's attitude at all, it was as if they've never reconciled –

Then a stunning revelation struck her, and Hayate knew exactly why Nanoha was acting so strange. She didn't wait for the shock to fade and yelled, "You don't remember, do you?"

Nanoha froze, and Hayate knew she got it right. She forced her feet to move as quickly as they can while she continued to speak, "I've read the reports. It's at the back of my mind for some time, but it seems like you're missing about three weeks of your memories, am I right? No wonder you're acting like this… You don't remember." Those last few words came out softly.

"No… I don't. I really don't." Nanoha stopped moving, and there a mixture of despair and resignation etched into her face. She suddenly looked utterly weary, and the pretense from before was all but dropped down. Hayate wouldn't have cared even if it was otherwise; she rushed finally to Nanoha's side and grabbed her hands.

"Tell me."

She was at first reluctant, pulling back, but Hayate held on stubbornly and refused to show how much that little effort strained her body. Finally Nanoha relented, and a sigh escaped her lips, "I'm scared."

"Scared. Why?"

"Because I don't remember. Twenty four days, Hayate. Twenty four days of memories, missing. I'm likely never going to get them back. Those are memories I decided not to let myself know," Her head sank further, "I must have found a clue about the enemy, but I chose to hide everything. _Why? _Because I'm not enough. That I'm defective. I must be."

Hayate stared incredulously at her friend. _What _did she just say? She heard that some people could be blind to themselves, but this was her first time seeing it, most of all Nanoha.

"You're not joking, right?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind, continue." Hayate waved her hand dismissively, ignoring the puzzled frown on the brunette's face. Nanoha herself was too drowned in misery to bother about the comment as she continued, "... What I'm worried the most was the enemy, and the possibility of another Grey Christmas."

"It can't be. You defeated him." Hayate didn't mention how she knew.

"Maybe I did… but it sounds too good to be true," Nanoha looked at her hand and clenched, "Blaster One and Two won't even scratch him. I was prepared to go past the limit, but the chances are at best fifty fifty. And right now, I don't even remember beating him. How am I supposed to believe that the enemy I pursued for so long was finally… dead?"

Nanoha smiled wryly at the last comment. The anonymous anger was rising again within Hayate, but she kept her face cool and quiet.

"And even if I did beat him, there was still the possibility of another Grey Christmas. We don't know if it would happen again, whether the enemy was even related to it in the first place. What if it's still not over? Could I stop it? I…." Nanoha trailed off, shivered. She had to press both her hands into her laps to stop them shaking. While Hayate wasn't strong enough to stop them either, her hands never left Nanoha's for warmth.

The brunette spun to look at Hayate, wild desperation peeking out of her eyes as her words grew increasingly frantic, "Why did I hide my memories? If I had even the slightest clue on the enemy then maybe we would have something to predict on, devise some measures to prevent it, anything. But I have _nothing at all. _I know I'm weak, that even I can't trust myself, but I must do something! If I don't then – I can't, I don't want to see it again, I must –"

"I think," Hayate said quietly, "That is quite enough. Now shut up."

She raised her hand, and slapped Nanoha as hard as she could.

_Pak!_

Her hand stung. It really did. But her immediate impulse was to throw another slap, and then another, until the burning heat inside her heart completely dissipated away. It took a great deal of energy just to calm down, to remind herself that she _was _running on thin gas. The brunette did not help much; Nanoha looked totally stunned, and yet she wore a face that looked almost satisfied.

It infuriated her even more. She threw off Nanoha's hand, and her tone turned icy cold, "Don't you start thinking that you totally deserved this, or I'll jump off this cliff right here right now."

This time the near-smile faded completely from Nanoha's face, alarmed, "Wha –"

"You wouldn't care what happen to yourself, so it would be pointless to threaten you," She took a step backwards, then another, "But my life, I would like to believe it a better bargaining chip. Now then, I wonder if your claim before is still true?"

With every step Nanoha took, Hayate moved one step backwards. It wasn't long before Nanoha stood utterly still and helpless as she begged Hayate to stop with her eyes.

"Hayate… Stop…"

To which she ignored totally and said, "Not claiming? Fine, I'll start asking some questions. Each time you stutter, refuse to answer, or got the answer wrong I'll be taking one step backwards. You should know what I would do if you even try to use magic. Number one,"

"Hayate! Don't –"

One step. It shut her right up, the confusion and fear was causing Nanoha to completely lose her composure.

"You said that you were defective. Flawed. Do you still think so now?"

"But I – I don't understand! I guess I am, but –"

"Wrong. You were never defective. You're living, breathing, and you're a human being just like any of us. So d_on't call yourself defective like a tool!_" Hayate screamed out the last sentence; she didn't know where the strength came from but she was grateful for it. Nanoha looked down again and stuttered, "B – But my memories! Why else would I –"

She didn't forget to back up one step. Hayate could count maybe four or five before she stood side by side with the grave. Another one and she would tumble downwards like a broken bird, but she didn't care.

"_That is not a reason. _And I am not you, so I can't claim to know. But I do know _you, _Nanoha_._ If given a choice you would never impose on anyone like the idiot you are, even if that other is _yourself._ That is what I believe," She paused, and continued on a calmer note, "Would you have passed the clue to Fate if you have them? Me? Signum?"

"No! He's too dangerous –"

She held up her hand and cut Nanoha off, "I've made my point. Next question. Let's say Caro was killed by someone. Erio intends to kill him as revenge. Would you support him?"

"Hayate! That's a terrible comparison –"

"You are not answering," She spoke casually and planted one foot backwards. Nanoha bit her lips in frustration, but there wasn't anything she could do but reply, "I would not. Of course I'll stop him, killing isn't right at all!"

Hayate cocked one head thoughtfully and said, "Hmm? Is that so? I happen to remember you wishing to remember _killing _the enemy, am I wrong?"

"I… I didn't wish for that, I just…" Nanoha trembled visibly to Hayate's eyes, even from a distance, "I didn't. If there was the slightest chance that I could bring him in, I will. But –"

"_Then why did you say it?_ Let me answer that for you. You said it because you were too busy wallowing in your self-pity, and that you're trying to justify just how bad you are compared to the original, even if there is no difference between the two of you."

"But!" Nanoha interrupted, "But I've already made up my mind to defeat him. To not hold back. Even if I had to kill, to go against everything I stand for, I would stop him and prevent Grey Christmas. I was going to die anyway, so why did it matter…?"

"_I was here when you passed away. Right – here."_

The brunette froze.

"Why did it matter, you say?" Hayate seethed with fury, tears streaming down her cheek without her noticing, "I tried my best to save you, but I couldn't. There was so much blood; but I couldn't even lift you because one of my arms was broken. None of my healing spells are working, and I could only _watch you die_. I –" She clutched at her heart; it was pounding too fast and her head terrifyingly dizzy, but she couldn't go down yet. Not yet.

"– I felt so patheticand useless that I wish I was _dead_. If it wasn't for Reunion I would've really lost it, threw away everything I cared about. All those pain, those sadness, and you ask me why you _mattered_…"

She stumbled back, almost falling. There was a cry of alarm, and it was pure luck that her right hand caught the gravestone just before she plummets god knows how many thousands of feet below. But even then Hayate sensed that Nanoha had thrown all caution to the wind and was closing in _fast._ What should she do?

"Wrong move, Nanoha." Hayate muttered under her breath, and she laughed out breathlessly to gain one final second of time, "You said that your life isn't important, do you Nanoha?" The brunette stopped, hesitated for just a fraction. And that was all she needed.

"Well guess what – _I don't think mine mattered as well!_"

Hayate jumped. She could no longer differentiate between up and down, left and right, only that she was falling backwards and that the world felt weightless. In a sense it was like flying, but there was an impossible feeling of freedom that she never felt before.

_So this is what it meant to fall. Not bad at all, _Hayate thought idly, _but it would be bad if I grew fond of it. So where the heck is that idiot –_

"_Hayate!"_ Her body fell heavily against something warm, and the deadly descent stopped. She couldn't see already, her vision was pitch black for some reason. Then she felt something wet dripping on to her neck. Nanoha was crying.

"I'm sorry, _I'm sorry,_ it's all my fault so don't… _Please _don't do this, Hayate, I'm sorry…"

"I jumped myself... Didn't I? So how is it your fault?" Her speech was surprisingly clear, but Hayate knew she was seconds away from fainting. So she tried to squeeze in as much words as she could.

"Nanoha… You're not the only who wants to prevent Grey Christmas. To stop that monster. We all shared the same wish, to protect everyone's smiles… So don't shoulder all the responsibility by yourself. You're not alone… I'm your friend, so rely on me, damn it… To hear you say… 'I' all the time is really… irritating…"

Nanoha sobbed even harder, "I know, I know, I'm sorry… Hayate? Can you hear me? Hayate!"

_I'm so tired. _Exhaustion was shutting down her consciousness quick as lightning, but there was one last thing she hasn't said. She struggled in every ounce of strength to raise one hand, to which Nanoha grabbed on instinctively as she flew to a safer place. Hayate simply smiled in satisfaction and allowed oblivion to take her away.

_I kept my promise, Vivio._

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'To Save You'. Next selected time year 0082 month 7 day 19 1104. Begin playback.]_**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: Time for some light romance. No, seriously. On a side note, because of FFNet's simple formatting I'm always faced with the dilemma whether to put a horizontal line to separate italic paragraphs or not. Ugh.**

Two uneventful weeks have passed since the last pain-filled time.

Hayate and Vita returned safely back to the hospital, but the other Wolkenritters have long since sniffed out their little escapade. It didn't take a genius to realize an empty bed and the missing ill-humored voice. In fact, Hayate missed them by minutes after she left Nanoha's house. Later after she woke up, Zafira would inform her that Vita got a thunderous scolding by both Signum and Shamal and that they were _that _close to brandish weapons, but Vita kept unusually silent and absorbed all the abuse like a sponge. What's even more amazing was that she gave a full bow of apology to everyone in the family before finally walking away. Her unexpected change in attitude caught everyone by surprise, puzzling even the quiet guardian beast. When their anger subsided, Shamal had tried to ask exactly what happened during their short disappearance, but Vita wouldn't say anything except one line.

_Ask Hayate._

Hayate later caught Vita during lunch and asked her why she didn't just tell the truth, but the red knight laughed and said,

"I don't actually know what really happened, since I wasn't there. If that's the case, then why would I tell something vague, knowing that it would only make everyone sad and angry? The matter's over after all. I'll be fine, Hayate, you just rest now."

She had been stunned to hear such mature words coming from Vita. Her wide-eyed stare made Vita fluster greatly before running away with a terribly embarrassed look on her face, but Hayate understood how hard it must have been for the proud little knight to just accept... everything. She smiled lightly at the great happiness welling in her heart.

_My children have grown strong._

But because of the latest stunt she pulled, Hayate no longer have personal freedom. Her knights stayed by her side every day and second, sometimes in groups or pairs or ones but never away. While she was fine to be accompanied, there have been some hair-rising moments when the concerned Shamal offered to help in toilets during the first few days of Hayate's weakness. The commander had declined _very _tactfully, but she made a mental notice from then onwards to keep an eye on her nurse and caretaker. Shamal was law within the compounds of the hospital, and it would be terribly unwise to set her off carelessly like an unplugged grenade. Not unless she wanted to spend her life on bed forever.

Even Signum was riled up, her face scrunched into a worried frown every time she looked at Hayate. Such an open display of emotion from the quiet warrior was rare, if not downright unusual. When Hayate told her wryly that she didn't need to be so worried, Signum had worn a severe look on her face and explained just how deathly pale Hayate looked when she returned limp in Vita's arms. The commander winced, and since then made an actual effort to eat regularly to recover her health as soon as possible.

The swordsmaster was also the only one who confronted her about the obvious connection between her sudden leave and a certain brunette.

"_Was it Nanoha?"_

"_It was my own choice, but yes. For her."_

She hadn't lied, and in Signum in turn acknowledged her reckless decision under the condition that Hayate would never try something like that again. That was not something she could control, but Hayate promised, and the matter was over. Rein proved a lot harder to appease, especially since Agito and that deceitful little Reunion kept on fanning her anger, but the Unison Device had relented in the end. In fact, she came in on Wednesday night crying and apologizing, saying that it was her fault that Hayate suffered so much. Rein had known about Reunion's magic and asked for his help when Hayate was still depressed, but she had never wanted to cause her so much suffering. And so Hayate comforted the little fairy throughout the night and slept not a wink, and on more than one occasion wondered if this was some sort of a strategy to punish her. But it was a fond thought full of smiles.

But the one she worried most for was Shamal. Her fury would be comparable to that of a cold, vengeful blade carving sushi out of a pig, but at the same time she was just much too empathic. Shamal often reprimanded herself at fault for the smallest of errors and simply would not listen to anyone until the terrible guilt has passed. She would offer her help limitlessly and often worked to the brink of collapse unless Hayate forced her to rest. It was the same now. The healer spent time around Hayate whenever possible, worried at the slightest cough and attending to every need. And, when she thought Hayate wasn't looking, Shamal pinched the top of her left hand as if to tear off a piece of frustration and helplessness. Had she been a different mistress, Hayate could not, did not want to imagine what would have happened to the gentle woman's heart. Right now, Shamal needed her help.

So every night, Hayate would ask for Shamal and said,

"_Tonight's a little cold. Could you hold me until I sleep?"_

"_Of course, Hayate."_

It sounded and looked childish; a fact Agito never failed to remind, but Hayate didn't mind. Every night they would crawl into bed together, and Hayate hugged Shamal tightly as if to pass on those unspeakable words of comfort and warmth until she fell asleep. Sometimes Hayate would wake during midnight and listen to the soft, uncontrollable sobs beside her, wordlessly holding the blonde tighter.

She was a bad mistress.

* * *

><p>"Why are you still here?"<p>

"Because I saved your heart?"

"No, you left me there and prayed to god that I won't die, and don't you dare deny it. Seriously though."

Hayate's fingers danced lightly against the tens of hangers, trying to decide which dress she to wear. Pink? No wait, this was the one she bought for Signum; she would dress it on her one day. Eventually. How about light blue?

"… You know, it's pretty inhumane to be changing so cheerfully when you locked a totally innocent young boy in the toilet. And you didn't even finish your sentence. What do you want?"

Yes, the light blue would do. Now, to have a matching skirt, "I sincerely doubt that you were ever innocent, but putting that matter aside. You already know what I want to ask, so why waste my breath?"

Reunion muttered under his breath, "Too bad it wasn't your last," and replied, "No, I did not use my magic on the others the day you collapsed. Truth be told I don't know why I'm even alive, much less living in this house."

It was a good weekend. It has been three days since her discharge, and she finally had time to meet her certain someone. He has visited her a couple of times before in the hospital, but was successfully intimidated by the combined stares of all the Wolkenritters except Zafira. While everyone knew he was the epitome of pureness and innocence, it didn't help that Hayate wore only a thin white shirt and baggy pants underneath the blanket. That she was smiling seductively and caressing the first few buttons of her shirt almost caused him to be smashed out of the window by Vita, despite the fact that he _really _wasn't looking. Just begging really hard at Hayate to stop playing such scary jokes.

"I see," She paused, her train of thought disturbed by the possibility of a ground breaking murder happening in her house. That can't be good for anyone. If it had taken place elsewhere though…

"_I. Hear. You."_

Hayate shrugged, quietly ticking another box in her mental checklist. The boy had powerful abilities, but he could be tricked. She learned from the past few weeks that while Reunion's magic was powerful he almost never used it directly on a person, most likely because it ran a high risk for the subject and himself. What he usually does was to read the crumbs of emotions or 'words' leaking out of a person's mind, then interpret their thoughts and actions. In that case, as long as she thought out loud and clear there was a very good chance to deceive his senses. Or hiding an emotion behind another.

"So you did. Although I could guess that they weren't thinking quite right when they found me collapsed in front of your doorsteps. You _are _a kid. And –"

Oh fine, she'll just take another light blue. Her interest in cosplay was one thing, real life dressing was another, "– You are also our family. Don't forget that. Rein defended you, didn't she? So trust us a little more… brat."

Silence. Hayate finally finished changing her clothes, and looked confidently into the mirror. Today would be a very enjoyable day indeed. She picked up her handbag and headed for the door, but then slowed down as if forgotten something,

"And the toilet door was unlocked since ten minutes ago. My guess is that you're now holding a pail of water waiting impatiently for me to come close. Just who are you trying to fool?"

"How –"

_Slam. _Gotta love solid, wooden doors; they have such amazing sound effects. And sweet, sweet victory.

* * *

><p>The central park of Cranagan was one of the main attractions untouched by the terrible wrath of Grey Christmas. While not entirely massive that it would encroach upon the people's living space, it was enough to take a busy person's mind off the bogs and falls of reality. A huge man-made fountain sprayed multitude streams of pure water, constantly soothing and refreshing people's hearts with a shower of natural coolness. Sitting on a bench placed directly beside the fountain was a pair of gorgeous looking couple, holding hands and playing a weird game that mysteriously drew the attention of all nearby visitors.<p>

"Two."

"Three."

"Okay, two balls and one stick. Say it!" The woman shook her partner's arm like she would do to a broken twig. The young man panicked a little further and tried to pull, but it was a disastrous failure. He started begging,

"… Two please?"

"Double pink petals. Aw, Yuuno! So you want to know _that _badly huh? I guess I could…" She gave a witch's smile and deftly touched the collar of her shirt and unclipped one button, two…

The same trick worked twice, albeit it produced a totally opposite reaction from the surroundings. Men were swallowing down their saliva _everywhere._ Yuuno finally couldn't take it any longer and swept Hayate into his arms princess style, and ran. He didn't forget to glare down his girlfriend, but Hayate was laughing so hard that she didn't even notice. She tried to squeeze in a couple of words between breaths, "So you… finally got… pfft! Used to doing this huh? Haha!"

"Better than to stay and let you make things worse!"

* * *

><p>There has been some disapproval from her family when Hayate first announced her date with Yuuno the day before. Shamal for one looked unusually dark, an eerie smile peeking from her teeth as she began reciting surgical tools with a nonchalance that could chill the living, and with Agito flying around shouting, "Sex! Sex! <em>Seeeeeeex!<em>" the already dampened mood quickly transformed into a pitch black aura that leaked of murder and blood thirst.

Hayate whipped out her staff skillfully and shut Agito up with a quick bind to the mouth. She then said calmly, "Everyone. I know you're still uncomfortable with Yuuno, and some of you might doubt his sincerity since we spent so little time together. I can assure you that they are utterly groundless fears."

She lowered her voice into a half whisper, asking their permission, "I love him, and I want to spend the rest of my life with Yuuno. From here on, and thereafter. So please… support me."

What else could they say?

* * *

><p>"Yuuno. What do you think about Nanoha?"<p>

The young man handed Hayate a can of coffee and popped his own, a questioning look in his eyes. Discussions about Nanoha have always been cheerful and reminiscent, but Hayate's attempt to sound casual was poor even to her own ears. She chose such a secluded spot in the park because the talk they're about to have were rather confidential, unsuited for the public's attention. Yuuno shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of coffee,

"Well, I guess I did like her once, but –"

Hayate smiled a little. Yuuno was giving her a last chance to back out of the discussion, but she needed to talk about this. He was the second after Rein to know about everything, or at least as much truth as she knew herself. It was ironic how everything to a person could mean nothing from another's point of view. Such was the way of life.

"No, that wasn't what I meant. I meant the her as of late. In the end… She didn't visit me after all," The brunette sighed while stretching.

"I would say that's a rather unfair statement. Didn't she send you messages?" Yuuno said.

Hayate raised an eyebrow, and placed a finger on the weak spot of his palm, reading to dig, "Oh? And how did you know? You couldn't have gone through my phone, could you?"

But Yuuno continued to drink his coffee calmly and replied, "No, of course not. I simply guessed. It wasn't a hard question."

"Hmph, you're right," Hayate sighed and chugged in her own drink, "It really wasn't a hard question. There was the battle before; she thought she would give it a little more time, find a better opportunity to make peace with the others…"

Yuuno frowned, "It wasn't just that. Hayate," He squeezed Hayate's hand a little tighter, those jade green eyes looking with terrible concern, "Don't be so reckless. Jumping off a cliff… you're making me worried all the time. The others too."

Hayate smiled gently and returned the squeeze, "I know, sorry to make you worried. C'mon," She pecked at his cheeks lightly, reassuringly, "Forgive me. Please?"

The young man reddened a little, but did not avert his eyes, "I guess I can, but… you're not going to promise me, are you?"

Hayate paused, a hint of conviction slipping into her words, "I'm sorry, but I won't apologize for the way I've acted. They were stupid and crazy and outrageous, but I would do it again if it meant saving Nanoha. Or you," she combed a leaf out of her hair and began examining it, "Or anyone who needed my big smack talk of the year. Such is the path I've chosen, no?"

"Hah… So it is," He emptied the can and threw it smartly into a nearby dustbin. His expression suddenly turned sad and he said painfully, "Nanoha was always so bright and cheerful. She smiled so well and strong despite the hardships, and yet… How did it turn out like this?"

"Perhaps it was our fault," She released the yellow leave, and watching it sank soundlessly to the earthen ground, "Nanoha's actions have always been transparent. Clear. Honest. Her actions were not a lie, but sometimes they were not a reflection of her true feelings. And we the idiots just accepted it, never noticing. Blindfolding our eyes from reality. That's why we couldn't understand what's really going inside her mind."

Hayate closed her eyes and thought regretfully for the millionth time: _How could I have not noticed it earlier? _

Yuuno squeezed her hand and pulled her back from the dwelling. Whenever she needed a touch, Yuuno was always right there with her. It was their way of supporting each other, to hold each other's hands, squeezing a bit to remind.

"Even now I find it hard to believe that this is Nanoha we're talking about. That incident was bad, but to change her like this... Really, just what had happened that day?"

Hayate shook her head, "I don't know much about what happened _inside_, only those official reports lodged in by Nanoha. That day I could only hear voices, and the screens were all static. Only she and Fate could tell us. They probably never will."

"Hayate…" Yuuno stood up and pulled her along. She leaned a bit at his shoulders, and dragged in a thankful breath. She really needed the change of scenery. Her eyes closed.

_If only._

* * *

><p>When she had opened them again, they were cocooned within a sea of blue, protected only by a thick sheen of glass. Aquatic organisms, different as they were from world to world have never ceased to amaze Hayate of their beauty and freedom. The sky might be wide and free, but they were always too empty for her as compared to the compact yet endless depth of ocean. The Marine Park was as amazing as usual. Hayate stared dazed in admiration at the wondrous blue world that was filled with life, hands reaching as if to touch a weird looking shark that above her, but there was a glass, and there was a world she cannot reach.<p>

_Once, I would have been able to touch it. The glass that isolates was meaningless and I could laugh and proudly declare so. But now…_

"Yuuno…" Hayate leaned her full weight against her boyfriend, infinitely grateful for the strength he gave her, "Sometimes, just sometimes… I wish we were young again."

_Once upon a time, when our prayers and feelings transcended the guilt of responsibility._

Yuuno smiled wryly, "Perhaps you didn't notice, but you _are _young. Very."

She threw a playful punch at his shoulder and grinned, "That's not what I mean, but thanks. I…_"_

Her right hand trembled slightly, and Hayate tried to will it stop. She had a bad habit of getting soft around people she trusted and loved, especially with Yuuno, and perhaps the aftereffects of Reunion's tampering haven't completely subsided. The latter felt it and wordlessly put strength into his own hand, soothing the tremors and bubbling emotions that threatened to surface. They have been together for many years, and yet Hayate still blushed at the increased physical contact, thinking just how lucky she was to have Yuuno.

"You're a bad habit, you know that?"

"Really," He raised an eyebrow, "Then how about treating me a little better from now on? You had your eyes closed since the park; doesn't that scare you when we're crossing roads?"

"No way and no, ferret boy. I once had an assignment here so I pretty much memorized all the routes here; you did well to choose the quickest and safest path. As for crossing the roads safe…" Hayate smiled sweetly and pushed a breast against his arm, "That's _your _responsibility, no?"

"Y-You're too close! I – Haa..." Yuuno gave up almost immediately and tried not to notice the demonic stares some people were giving him. If he hadn't managed to resist since fifteen, there's no reason to believe that he'll make it at thirty. At all. Hayate giggled at his never changing reaction, and sneaked another longing look at the endless blue. A ten meters wide octopus thing floated by idly without a care for the world.

She suddenly remembered, "Do you still remember the boy I asked you to research, Reunion?"

"The child you took in – That one?" His tone softened so that no one could eavesdrop on the conversation, but not too soft that Hayate could not listen. His time spent in the library taught him a lot about secrecy. Hayate nonchalantly pulled Yuuno around the amusement park with a happy face, but her words clearly do not coincide her current expression, "Yes. Have you found anything in the Infinity Library?"

"I did. Wait a second," Yuuno paused a bit to gather his thoughts before continuing, "Okay. I got a name and a vague concept, but nothing else. Do you want to wait longer or…?"

Her eyes darted around like a bouncing pin ball and at last found an empty bench. Gently breaking free from Yuuno, Hayate raced fifty meters forwards before plopping down on the seat with a happy sigh. The boyfriend could only look disapprovingly while buying two new cans of coffee, unconscious of his own actions.

Yup, she got him totally under control.

"It will do. In fact, that's more than I expected," Hayate crossed her legs elegantly and stared upwards towards the sea wrapped sky, seemingly searching for that soul's melody, "The name first, please."

Yuuno looked concerned for a second, but he held back the words of comfort and went straight to business. She looked as if she needed the… _peace,_ "Okay, I found the information in a very old manuscript dated at least three thousand years ago. And even then, there was only a single page that briefly mentioned about a legendary magic said to be the purest among all."

Hayate suddenly felt a prickle on all of her fingers and she immediately recognized the signs. _Not again. _She curled a finger on her hair and began twisting. An icy snake began to nibble and swallow the back of her spine, but she bit her lips to forget the cold, "In the past, this Inherent Skill –supposedly _extinct_ –was called Heart Seeker. Unless I've made a mistake, this is Reunion's power."

"Heart… Seeker." The shuddering whisper escaped her lips without Hayate even knowing it. Maggots now crawled on every inch of her skin and she couldn't help but shudder at the unnaturally realistic illusions. But she held. She forced herself to focus on Yuuno and Yuuno alone, and held on.

Something was obviously not right, but Yuuno acted as if he didn't notice and moved on, albeit on a much faster pace, "As its name would imply, this ability allows you to find and reach out to another being's heart or soul. The wielder basically knows everything about the person's life whose heart he touches. There's also a vague mention that a successful contract would allow the wielder to manipulate one's heart, but as to how –"

"Touch."

"Huh?"

Hayate felt the chills leaving her at last and sighed with obvious relief. The lingering nightmares of that night still haunt her sometimes, but they were much more bearable. And given enough time, even nightmares would fade to nothing. Confidence rekindled in her voice as she answered Yuuno energetically, "Through touch, and perhaps something like mutual recognition. That is the contract. We shook hands after I gave him a name."

"Hmm, I see," Hayate observed of the sagging of his shoulder and the fading tension from his voice, and determined that it was more of an expression of relief than an actual acknowledgment of her statement. So, he knew that she was going through one of those 'daydreams' again, but chose not to interfere with her inner battle. Hayate couldn't help but smile. As usual, she could hide nothing from him, as he had never once doubted her, "But the condition of this contract sounds too easy. Just physical contact and it's done? Why wasn't this magic more er, known?"

"Because it is a curse."

"Huh?" Hayate surprised both herself and Yuuno, but her reasoning caught up quickly with the instinctive reply.

"This magic itself is a double-edged sword; sooner or later it ruins both the wielder and the wielded. Just like a curse," Hayate replied softly, "Heart Seeker... Reunion made my heart whole when I was losing hope. I thought he healed my wounds, my fears, my demons, but no. He simply made me stronger, made me _blind_ to certain emotions so that I could face them without wavering. But once he cancels the contract my heart recognized those emotions and could not accept it… _broke_."

She raised a hand. It was trembling like a leaf, "This. This is proof. Kinda like drugs, really. Lose it and the world crashes while old and new wounds alike stab you so hard you wish you were dead. The shock alone was probably enough to do just that. I can't believe –"

Hayate stopped sharply, and this time Yuuno did not hesitate to embrace her into his arms and kept still. She accepted the warmth wholeheartedly, and only then she realized just how weakened she felt. How weary and scared.

_But even so, I still…_

"Hayate, are you really okay living with Reunion?"

She turned to look at Yuuno. Sincere worry and concern shone out of his eyes exactly the same as eighteen years ago, and with passing age etched a hardened determination into his face. It was a resolve to reject his own belief for the sake of someone else. For her. A budding sadness dug deeply into her heart, but Hayate shelved it away and leaned deeper against his chest,

"Mm…! You're warm as usual."

"Hayate?"

"Your girlfriend is strong, Yuuno. Perhaps I do feel a bit scared, unsure even now whether my feelings are real or just engineered to be real, but even so, Reunion is –"

"– Your family." He helped finished her sentence, and hugged her tighter. Yuuno was still afraid for her sake, but he believed in Hayate as well. She smiled brightly as if to cast away the last vestiges of fear,

"That's right. And families care for each other equally, no? Well, there's a lot of discipline I'll need to kick into the brat's head, but he's still young, and he understands. So someday, maybe... No. I'll definitely let him live a normal life."

They stayed that way for quite some time, looking and occasionally pointing at a certain crowd of colorful fishes, until Hayate heard a sudden murmur into her ears,

"... This is exactly why I love you so much."

Her entire face boiled red in a second, and she quickly turned around to face Yuuno looking incredulously happy, "W – What did you just say?"

"N – Nothing." He stuttered and looked away, but Hayate would have none of it. She forcefully grabbed hold of his face and turned it,

"Ow! My neck, what are you doing?"

"I command you to repeat that phrase immediately!"

To which Yuuno smirked knowingly, very determined to be the winner this time, partially motivated by the creaking pain burning his neck, "And what was it do you want to hear? Perhaps a massage would work out the answer…"

Hayate's eyes narrowed. She let go coolly, and with an imperious voice demanded, "Alright then. Wallet."

"No."

"Phone."

"No."

"Car keys."

"Just no!"

"Me."

"No, no, no – Wait a second –" Then he realized his mistake, but it was already too late.

"I see," Hayate flipped open her communicator and immediately dialed for Shamal, her legs already beginning the flight away from Yuuno, "So, the great Archeologist and Chief Librarian of the almighty Infinity Library has finally decided to dump me. I don't mind it. I really don't."

Panic crept into his voice as he began chasing after the escaping Hayate, but she was too damn slippery and blended perfectly into the crowd, "It was just a joke! A joke! And you tricked me! Hayate, who are you calling?"

"Oh, no one in particular. Just a certain doctor whom I would like to cry this terrible, terrible injustice on. Ah, it's connected. Hello? Shamal…"

Yuuno turned for the emergency exit and ran, but he suddenly fell unceremoniously to the ground as a reappearing Hayate timed and tripped him perfectly into a somersault. There was the unmistakable glint of wickedness in her eyes as she smiled infinitely cheerful at her trembling boyfriend,

"You are _not _getting away from me."

_Forever._

* * *

><p>Night. An otherworldly realm of tranquility and silence that enveloped all in equal embrace deeper than light. Humans have long since learned to use fire to combat this ghastly mist that blinded all sight, and as they evolved certain places was no longer casted in darkness.<p>

But there were far more shadows under the light than there were glows under darkness. Far, far more.

And now one such shadow crawled ever so quietly behind her unsuspecting victim, fangs and claws and fake blood dominant in the arsenals of doom, and she crawled oh so quietly –

"Hayate. You would make a great storyteller if you don't add yourself in it. Don't even try."

"Ceh, spoilsport. And I was so looking forward to use this taser too…" She flashed out the item casually, and Yuuno jumped two steps away from Hayate as if repelled by an impenetrable shield. His footing was rather unsteady, and he almost fell down into a nearby drain.

"W-w-where did you get that thing?" Yuuno's voice came out a terrified squeak that he could not control; his nerves totally jarred from the terrifying chase Shamal gave him before. Of course he didn't expect the medic to actually show up, and to actually be incited by Hayate… Was she having a period?

Then Yuuno remembered _the_ needle, and immediately killed off the thoughts. It was entirely unscientific and realistically impossible for Shamal to read his mind – Not to mention that she went back for an emergency surgery – but just to be one hundred percent sure. Yeah.

"I bought in on Earth of course. Over there I can't exactly blast bad guys with magic, so this was to compensate for my protection."

"Hahaha… I feel terrible for those who stalks you…" She wore an innocent look on her face, but Yuuno easily saw the devil smirking from behind that mask. But there would be even more consequences if he doesn't man up and hold her hands now, so he sucked in a deep breath and jerkily reached for her right, and clasped.

Hayate looked satisfied and slipped the device back into her bag. She then looked upwards to the sky and began savoring twinkling colors called stars that illuminated the world.

Night.

Ten minutes was the distance between their slow walk to Hayate's home. Neither wanted their precious date to end so quickly, to be reminded of the duties and responsibilities that kept them apart. The night was young, but their time was not. For them, time was expiring.

"Neh, Yuuno."

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever wondered why we are still together?"

Yuuno pondered the question, not understanding as he asked, "Because we love each other?"

That got him another light punch to the body as Hayate blushed, "Don't answer for me, idiot! I mean I do love you, but…"

The dark thought slithered roots into her mind, and her face was solemn once more, "Don't you think that it's strange? I can count with one hand the dates we go in a year. Relationships aren't supposed to work that way."

There was a look of apprehension on Yuuno's face, and he began shaking his head wryly to Hayate's surprise. The walk slowed to a turtle's crawl as he smiled gently, "You may be right. That will be the case for many people, but..."

He stopped there with a thoughtful look, and Hayate felt annoyance. It had been a serious question that could significantly impact their relationship, but Yuuno didn't even look remotely shaken. If possible, he looked calmed by her doubts. Just as she was about to speak her irritation, Yuuno suddenly asked, "Hayate. What do you think about our relationship?"

"I asked you a question first!" She didn't bother to hide her emotions. Yuuno merely smiled and tried again, "Of course I'll answer you, but first I need to know your thoughts. You don't want a half-hearted reply, do you?" Her defense crumbled against his logic, but she kept on a tight face and didn't speak for quite a while.

Five minutes passed, and she finally let out a sigh before shooting a piercing stare at her boyfriend. He simply glanced at her with a knowing look on his face, and she finally replied, "You and I are busy. Always busy. I am commander of a unique counter unit, and you the head librarian of the greatest library in the world. Let's admit it: These aren't the greatest job to find a stable relationship."

"We didn't choose our occupation by chance either, did we? You discovered that the Infinity Library was your home, and I found the military as a way of atoning for my sins. Even if our jobs meant a degree of loneliness and separation with loved ones, we are content. Satisfied. I know I am."

Hayate hesitated, "So maybe I enjoy my private space more than I thought. Occasionally I would love company, kind of like sudden craving for sweets, but sometimes I wished to be alone. If I have to eat them every day I probably could not stand it. I never had this problem with my family because of their respect for me as their mistress, hence a measure of distance, but you are different. Maybe…"

She unconsciously pulled at her sleeves as if to tear against the demonic doubts, "Maybe if we were never librarian or commander, if we have lived our lives normally, we will not be together. Maybe we're together because it just happened to be convenient. And even if we are together, I would grow bored of you, tired of you, make excuses to keep you apart…"

"You and I are just too independent. We could live without relying on anyone… and certainly without each other too."

Hayate's head stooped down a bit, not daring to look at Yuuno's expression. It had sounded too much like a request to break up. He stood very still and unmoving, and when he let go of her hand she flinched instinctively –

– And felt Yuuno draping his brown coat over her shoulders. Surprised, she forgot her fear turned to look, but he simply smiled at her and said, "It's cold, isn't it?"

"Eh, yes. Thanks." She fumbled a little, but her bearings returned all almost too quickly. She still felt chilled, but this time it came from the heart. Why wasn't he answering? Was she right on the mark after all?

_Pok._

There was a light knock against her head, and Hayate looked at Yuuno in surprise. Again. This time he frowned slightly and spoke, "You really mean every word, don't you? And you're telling me that Nanoha's the one who's dense?"

"What!" She grew indignant and was about to bite back, but Yuuno cut her off swiftly with a totally unexpected flavor of surprise,

"My first true crush was Hayate Yagami. I first noticed this when I was nine, just right before we sent off Reinforce."

Hayate's jaws fell wide open. Yuuno leaned against a lamp post and motioned her to do the same, and in the midst of disbelief and embarrassment she just followed without a question.

"At that time I didn't understand about my own feelings, and I thought Nanoha was the one I wanted to be together with. So when I saw this brave girl pushing her wheelchair uphill with everything she got for Reinforce; someone whom she didn't even know until the day before, I felt really surprised and confused. It was snowing pretty heavily, and yet she rushed here with absolutely no heed of her own health. Very reckless."

"It happens that everyone in our group is crazy one way or another, you know," Hayate said sarcastically.

"I really didn't understand that sudden warmth blooming in my heart," Yuuno thoroughly ignored her jab and continued, "I thought, like everyone else, that I was just moved by the strong bonds and belief you shared with Reinforce, but it wasn't. I was just utterly fascinated by this strong girl, for the unconditional trust and love she would give to others despite her own misfortunes."

Hayate wondered why was it so hot all the sudden. Must be the coat; there could be no other explanation.

Yuuno was far from finished, "The first time I truly recognized my feelings though was the moment Nanoha woke up from her coma, eighteen years ago. It was rather ironic, really. On one hand I prayed very hard that she would wake up and smile again. On the other, I held an anonymous fear that gnawed at my heart for many sleepless nights with no relief in sight. I dreaded every moment since Shamal reported her eventual awakening, but I couldn't understand why."

"She woke up. It was a very sunny afternoon, and Fate was holding Nanoha's hand talking about daily life as usual. I was dozing off on a nearby chair trying to catch some sleep, and suddenly the room was silent. Fate began screaming Nanoha's name, and I fell off my seat trying to scramble to her side. I quickly grabbed one hand with both, and Fate the other. Then Nanoha opened her eyes."

With a casualness that Hayate did not expect, Yuuno stated simply, "She said 'Fate'. It took me a few seconds to comprehend, and at that moment I was finally released from the biggest torture in my life. No words could describe the enormous _relief_ I felt, that the demon that plagued for many months was finally gone. And since then, I found out that the one I truly wanted to be together with was… you."

But Hayate's thoughts were focused on what happened _after _Nanoha awoke. Amidst the chaotic torrent of friends and family that that came to visit Nanoha, Hayate alone had slipped quietly out of the room so as not to burden the just awakened brunette with unnecessary banter. Thankfully the lift here reached up to the rooftop of the hospital, or she would've needed to either try magic or asked someone else's help to push her up. Both were situations that she was inclined to avoid.

Therefore she was surprised when she saw a young boy clad in green asleep behind the shadow and well hidden from the glaring sun. When she went up for a closer look; slowly pushing her wheelchair forwards so as to not disturb his sleep; she immediately recognized Yuuno Scrya as one of Nanoha's friends that was involved in the Book of Darkness Incident. They never really talked much as Yuuno preferred to just stand by and watch the girls chat, maybe throwing in a comment or two but no more. It got her curious to be able to see a different side of this quiet, gentle boy, and so she had moved towards him for a closer look.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hmm, he looks really girlish, but I guess that's what you call handsome?"<em>

_Hayate had both hands supporting under her chin as she leaned in closer to take a look. Up till now the only sleeping faces that she saw were the Wolkenritters, and she has never seen a boy's. Perhaps that's why she felt her heart fluttering for Yuuno with no apparent reason. There was an innocence and childishness that she really loved to see from these defenseless faces, as if she could regain something she never have since very young._

_The thought didn't sit well. She slowly pulled back to her seat and prepared to return downstairs, but not before casting one last gaze at the sleeping Yuuno. Her lips curled into a light smile, and she whispered, "Sleep well. Goodbye."_

_His eyes flickered open. Pure green orbs pierced deeply into her soul, and she froze like a caught rabbit. Yuuno mumbled,_

"_Hayate…? So… pretty…"_

_And he closed his eyes and fell right back to sleep. Yuuno must have been really tired, but that was beside the point. Did he just call her… pretty? Her heart was racing so hard that she feared it would stop. Hayate quickly escaped from the scene, but the conflicting emotions boiling inside her heart didn't subside until a very long time._

* * *

><p>Warmth wrapped around her right hand, and Hayate saw clearly that Yuuno's palm was gently holding hers. She didn't resist, but she didn't turn around either. He had certainly proved his point that they fell for each other way back when they were just kids, that it was a normal life that first tied them together. But still she wasn't convinced. It still doesn't explain how they managed to stay together with minimal contact, or the possibility that their current relationship was really because of convenience. Hayate knew that it was unsightly and immature to be feeling so insecure, but she couldn't help the fear pounding through her veins.<p>

The boyfriend sensed the distraught clear as day, and sighed. Hayate could be very, very stubborn with herself sometimes, but she almost never revealed her feelings because she didn't want to impose on others in any way, so it was a good thing that she's confessing now. Yuuno was determined to lift at least this one burden from Hayate's shoulders.

"A year after that, I asked you out. Remember?"

"… As if I could forget." She muttered ill-naturedly, but already her tone has softened to the point that it wouldn't hurt. Yuuno couldn't resist a big smile and continued,

"So I admit. I never knew I could be such a nervous wreck when it comes to love. Asking you out was the easy part, but after that… it was just one screw up after another. Everywhere we go bad luck plagued our backs like mosquitos that just won't disappear. I mistook the wrong house, dropped my wallet, missed the bus, dropped an ice cream on your dress, which in turn caused us to be late for the movie –"

"Yuuno, if you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working."

He laughed, "Okay, you're right. Let's skip the minor details. The thing is, after all that's happened, I must say that I really gave up. I was considering digging myself a grave and just sleep in there unto eternity after all those blunders. I knew for certain that once we parted I would never see you again, unless it was a friendly gathering of sorts. "

"But then you stopped me gently, and said the most incredible things I will never forget. Do you remember, Hayate?"

* * *

><p><em>A Yuuno looked like he was barely holding back the angry tears, unable to forgive himself for messing up what would've been a wonderful and memorable day for the both of them. But he held on strongly so as not to embarrass her in public and asked quietly to walk her home. The solemnity in his tone suggested that this was the last time Yuuno would never see her again, and Hayate didn't want that. It was really painful to watch him suffering like this, and there was still something important he didn't say.<em>

_So she told herself that she needed to do something and grabbed his hands. Big, warm hands that reminded of the sun, "It's just a bad day, Yuuno. Forget about it."_

_Yuuno's mask cracked a little, and he quickly bowed his head to hide a tear, "I'm sorry," His voice thick with regret, "I gave you a bad memory today, and I can't change that. But I'll promise you this at least. I will not trouble you any –"_

Pok.

"_Yuuno." She stopped him firmly with a light knock to his head, staring deep into his eyes as if to confirm her feelings. Hayate then clenched a fist for encouragement and muttered quietly to herself,_

"_Be a little braver… a little stronger."_

"_Hayate?"_

"_I had lots of fun today, Yuuno."_

"_What are you talking about? I –"_

_Hayate ignored him, "You mistook the wrong house, but that's because you were helping out an old lady to carry groceries. You dropped your wallet along the way because you were watching out for her while crossing the roads. You came late and we missed the bus, but thanks to that we get to walk together and talk a lot of things. You secretly borrowed money from Shamal in the house thinking I didn't notice, and bought me ice cream to apologize. Instead you dropped it right onto my dress, but it wasn't your fault, a naughty kid accidentally bumped your back. You immediately apologized afterwards and bought me a new double-sized ice-cream, didn't you? We were late for the movie, but it was just the first ten minutes. And oh," Hayate rubbed her own head sheepishly,_

"_Vita has been following you since yesterday, if you're wondering how I knew so much. I couldn't stop her, sorry."_

_Yuuno, predictably speechless, snapped out of his astonishment and began blabbering, "N-no, I er, you didn't need to be, er, sorry, I, I am the one who –"_

_Hayate pressed a finger against his lips, blushing a little at the softness of the contact. Yuuno himself looked like a steam cooker about to explode._

"_Putting that aside, Yuuno," She let her arm down and said quietly, "I believe there's something you haven't tell me, right?"_

_The boy smiled weakly while feeling the same for his knees, "I – Yes, but –"_

"_I want to know," Her own voice barely above a whisper, "Please say it. You've been trying so hard for this, so don't… don't give up now."_

"_I – I…"_

_He drew in a deep breath. Exhaled. Yuuno returned Hayate's grip and mustered a lifetime's courage. He looked into those deep blue eyes, and said it._

"_I really like you, Hayate. Can you… become my girlfriend?"_

"… _No."_

_He looked as if he was struck silly by a hammer. Hayate hid a grin and shook her head, repeating, "No. I would love to return your feelings, but you have to admit that despite everything, this date was still a big failure. So instead we're going to make a promise."_

"_A promise?" Correction. It was a flying bulldozer that hit him, and he totally forgot to shield._

"_Yup. Promise me that you'll ask me out again, and make sure that the date goes well. And when the day's over, you could tell me your feelings one more time."_

"… _But whether you'll accept is still a question?" It sounded mixed with a hint of abandoned pride, but Yuuno did somehow get his wits back._

"_You're pretty smart, aren't you?" She flashed him a devious grin, and for the first time Yuuno saw a glimpse of Hayate's secret world that she would tell no one but herself. A side so personal that even close friends and family see only once in a blue moon._

_He would be a real ferret if he wasn't excited by the opening Hayate gave him. All his worries from before was blown away like a dream, and Yuuno said strongly, "I promise. I'll ask you out again and again until the day you accept my feelings. Then I'll continue dating you anyway, because I'll be aiming at a higher goal. Even boys have the wish to get married, you know?"_

_The return ball fried her brain hotter than a full tank of wasabis. But before she could cool down her electrocuted senses, Yuuno has already snatched the next move, "Now then, a promise has to be an agreement from both sides. You have told me your condition, and now it's my turn to propose… No?"_

_Intellectual debate. Knowledge. Reaction and flexibility. _Get yourself together, Hayate! _The girl prayed for rain to cool her head as she raised a burning face and replied, "O – of course. What is it?"_

_Yuuno said softly, "I want you to promise me that no matter what happens, you would not forget today. My failings, our promises, these feelings – Even those words you said to yourself."_

_She froze, "Words?"_

"_Be, a little braver," He tightened his hands, "A little stronger."_

"_You heard?"_

"_I did, and right now, your words, I want to..." Yuuno paused and stared intently at Hayate. He emanated with an aura of maturity that one shouldn't possess at the age of thirteen, but that was only if she measured from Earth's standards. Hayate felt herself pulled into a swirling chaos of emotions by puberty and Yuuno, but to her surprise she didn't mind it one bit at all._

_She closed her eyes._

"… _What is it?"_

_Their lips met, under the blessing of soaring winds and fading sunset._

* * *

><p>Hayate woke up from her reverie, and found herself safe within the loving embrace of her dearest. Yuuno's chest felt so warm she could just sleep like this forever. That being said, she has absolutely no memory when the hugging happened, and so she pouted a little and mumbled,<p>

"Hmph. You two-faced trickster. Fake four eyes. Ferret."

Yuuno grinned and held her tighter, "Just a little reminder."

And they said nothing more. The couple stayed cuddled and listened to each other's breathing quietly, peacefully, but her communicator suddenly beeped and Hayate reluctantly pulled free. She read the message and sighed, "Shamal. I should go back; it's already midnight. C'mon."

Hayate pulled at his hands, but surprisingly Yuuno did not budge but simply stood there like a statue. She asked enquiringly, "What's wrong?"

Yuuno's face suddenly broke into a cryptic smile. Without a word he suddenly leaned close and hugged her tightly, ignoring the tiny struggles and protests that squeaked out of his embrace. The Wolkenritter's wrath could wait later. He whispered into her ear,

"Hayate, I was thinking."

"Whatever you want to say, just let me go first, it's getting kind of hard to breathe –"

"Would you like to stay at my place tonight? No," He added firmly, "I _want _you to come with me. Please?"

One second passed. Then two. Finally comprehension ticked in, and she felt steam boiling on top of her head.

"_What? _But it's… I mean, the others…"

"Be, a little brave," Yuuno smiled teasingly, "A little stronger."

"… Damn you."

Hayate sent back home a reply, and ran alongside Yuuno with a heart light as feather.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Love'. Next selected time year 0082 month 12 day 20 0000. Begin playback.]_**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes: Inception style. Hell yeah. Five minutes right before I fail my set time. Oh yeah.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Reminiscence Begin.]<em>**

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Year 0082 month 9 day 4 0800]<em>**

* * *

><p>Several months dozed by peacefully the restless city of magic, lulling its anxious inhabitants into an attractive sense of idleness. Fate was nowhere to be found despite SSD6's best efforts to track her, and the strange deaths that had once haunted every man's waking nightmare were forgotten like it never happened. Even the notorious Jail Scaglietti kept relatively quiet to his own evil council; one might actually believe that he has repented and bowed out of the mad scientist industry.<p>

"Today's a fine day, isn't it?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Pretty peaceful too."

"Yes, Mistress."

Hayate paused to look at the ice popsicle she's sucking at, to the table that was utterly clear of work and papers, to the idling Rein who was catching the air conditioner's full blast looking like she could melt in relaxation. The Unison Device glimpsed the boredom peeking out as wrinkles on her forehead and tried to comfort,

"Do you want me to call the Land Force and transfer some paperwork –"

Hayate threw a pen at Rein and missed, smiling a bit as Rein continued to hover around joking and laughing. Maybe things really have calmed down a little. In fact, she should say that the past few months were unusually hectic.

Maybe.

* * *

><p>"<em>Reunion."<em>

"_Yeah? What is it?"_

"… _No, nothing."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Year 0082 month 9 day 9 0909]<em>**

* * *

><p>"Do you believe in the afterlife, Hayate?"<p>

The questioned hand froze in midair holding a cup of tea, a finger flexing as if unsure how to react at the sudden question. Hayate took a heartbeat's moment to decide that replying truthfully would not in any way detriment their friendship, and answered,

"Are you drunk?"

Carim placed – no, smashed her cup almost vengefully against the table. Several pairs of disapproving eyes turned around to intimidate, but one chilly smile from the sister chased them almost immediately. Her friend took a second to recompose herself before replying, "No I'm not, but thanks for the concern."

Hayate sipped some more tea and began taking in her surroundings. Tables and chairs of fine oak filled up the majority of the cafe's space, with old lamps and decorative stars that gave off lights of classic yellow and brown. It reminded her fondly of the historical Middle Ages in television, even though she's acutely aware that the services provided were far from primitive. The very cup in her hands could probably sell for ten times the value of drink it's holding. An incredible luxury.

It was also a terrible mismatch to the Knight of Saint Church, Carim Gracia. Hayate wasn't entirely joking when she asked that.

"Well, I can't be sure, I've never thought about this deeply," the brunette casually lifted a finger and rubbed nose, "But you already know that. So why ask?"

Carim unconsciously mimicked the gesture before catching herself. Hayate frowned deeper; normally her friend would never be caught by such an obvious baselining method, "You got me. It's just that I find my beliefs to be… severely challenged as of late."

"Carim…?"

Abruptly the sister pulled out a single card, and almost immediately Hayate identified it as a tarot card from Earth. Her friend was quite the collector since her field of magic is prophecy, but this was the first time Hayate actually saw her using one. Carim placed it carefully on the emerald colered table and said quietly,

"Upright Temperance, symbolizing peace and tranquility. _This_ is the answer you came for, isn't it Hayate?"

The commander did not react. However, that was only true towards the exterior and not the boiling turmoil sizzling inside her heart. She waited a second to arrange her feelings before throwing out the question,

"This is going to sound foolish… No, it must be, but I have to confirm_._ How many times have you gotten the same reading?"

Her friend did not answer.

"… Never mind. Thanks for your help, Carim. I really appreciate it."

Hayate stood up and called for the bill, but as if she just remembered something, she placed a palm onto Carim's and asked carefully, "By the way, you'll come for a drink at my place tonight, won't you? I have a few interesting XOs just sitting in the closet."

And for the first time of the day, Carim Gracia smiled genuinely without a trace of shadows.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hayate."<em>

"_Hmm?"_

"_Don't give me that look; you've been staring at me for the past five hours! It's creeping me out!"_

"_Ahaha, sorry."_

"_Just what is it you want to talk about?"_

"… _Sorry. Just give me a little more time, okay?"_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Year 0082 month 9 day 27 1405]<em>**

* * *

><p>For a TSAB Admiral and Captain of the XV class warship Claudia, Hayate found Chrono's chosen house of living to be relatively moderate. It was a semi-detached bungalow with a relatively medium garden; a size just enough for his two children to run around freely without restrictions.<p>

She grabbed the sturdy plastic handle to feel the Land Rover's texture before remarking, "I'm repeating myself, but your monthly salary is about three times that of an ordinary businessman, you know. Why don't you get a bigger house?"

"More neighbors. Amy says that the kids need more friends, not empty space. Personally I agree, but adding in factors such as a goodenough security, close to our workplace, _Amy_-approved neighbors and_ Amy_-like house… It was a nightmare."

"She's your wife. You _should_ tend to her every need," Hayate winked from behind.

"I know, but really..." Chrono climbed out of the driver's seat and stretched his back. At thirty two, the young man was starting to feel the mounting of age, and once he had confided over a couple of drinks that sometimes he wished that he was an Enforcer again. Immense his arsenal of tricks may be, there were no shortcuts when it came to training one's physical body and strength, which required time an Admiral sadly lacked.

Hayate sat inside the car thinking idly, out of focus until Chrono's voice knocked some senses into her head, "What are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Ah, yes." Her palm ran through the smooth surface once more before tightening, then pulled. _Clack._ The rush of hot air over her neck felt oddly refreshing. How many years have it been since she last visited? She shuffled her feet timidly behind Chrono, quite afraid actually of the inevitable she knew was sure to come –

"Hayate! It's been so long!" A pair of hands snaked from behind and abruptly squeezed, eliciting a silly yelp from the commander. How did she get behind her back?

"Amy, hi – _Hyah!_" Hayate struggled mightily to no avail, and for some reason the brunette didn't wish to know, Amy was _very _good with strangle hold.

Chrono approached his wife with a sigh and pulled her away, the latter now transferred and straddled to him like a leech, "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that to our guests? It's embarrassing!"

"But it's been so many years since Hayate came to our house! Of course we have to do our greetings properly, right?"

"And just how is _any _of that called proper?"

Hayate watched the silly banter continue, conscious of something whirling within her chest like a wind mill. She could almost hear the hidden cogs within that tall, white tower, grinding and grazing against each other. Noisy, creaky, but always working together in perfect harmony. Her friends were so lucky to have each other.

She felt a tug on her fingers. Looking up, the ever cheerful Amy smiled brightly into her eyes as if there were dandelions floating atop her shoulders. Sunflowers sounded better, but in truth they weren't as pretty and light.

"C'mon, let's get inside already. Chrono was right; you _do _look a bit out today."

Hayate replied with embarrassment, "Ahaha, sorry. Well, thanks for having me."

She stepped in. Barefooted, the cloudy marble seeped coolness into her skin as she followed Amy into living room. In no time at all they were seated comfortably on the sofa, a few cups of tea already prepared and steaming on top of the low table.

Hayate's eyes widened, "Is that what I think…?"

"Yup," Amy said sunnily, "Japanese green tea. Since our rendezvous to Earth Lindy has always kept a few bags in the house, although that was after she retired. Try it!"

She put the cup to her lips waveringly, testing and feeling confident by the just temperature before taking in a sip. It tasted like home.

_Home? How long has it been since I left Earth?_

A well of tears threatened to overwhelm her eye ducts, but she persevered. It was yet too early to cry, "It's really good, Amy. Thank you."

To her surprise, the smiling face turned into a frown. The woman pressed in closer and struck her face with a finger, "H-huh?"

"Why are you talking so seriously? That's not the Hayate I know," Amy said kindly, "Start joking, teasing, whatever. Such as how Chrono was troubled by the wrinkles on his forehead but wouldn't admit it."

"Oi."

Hayate stared at her friends, shocked and speechless. Amy has always been more happy-go-lucky than a soldier should be, and that her past was a normal life with a simple interest that lead her to what she was today. But sometimes, at rare moments such as this she would expose wisdom far surpassing the innocent front she put out in front of everyone.

_Of course, _she mused, _once again I have missed the very obvious. _Everyone _puts on a mask._

But the thought was not unpleasant. As Amy had said they _are_ friends, so it's okay, with or without.

It's okay.

Then there was Chrono, always awkward between acknowledging his good will and looking tough. Hayate couldn't resist answering to Amy's devilish call as she deadpanned, "I happen to know a face cleaner that would work on that to an extent. Do you want to know, Chrono?"

Back in the days such a teasing would have caught the young man off guard and red in the face (Unless it's Yuuno), but apparently his skin has grown fairly thick due to Amy's frequent abuse, "Thank you for the concern, but seeing that I'm perfectly fine, I'll have to decline the offer." He even looked calm as he took his own tea and began drinking, but Hayate was not one to be thwarted so easily. Especially not with Amy waving two victory flags – _Where in the blazes did she get them?_ – beside her like a cat.

"Oh ho, Chrono is _such _a perfectly fine adult. Of course he wouldn't mind about his _many _lines of wrinkles, or that _tiny_ patch of white hair behind the back of his head, or the _ugly _green veins snaking both the top of his palm, and best of all he _admits_them –"

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, please don't say anymore." He held up his fists in mock defeat, a playful smile never leaving his face, and Hayate wasn't exactly prepared for that. Home really does wonders to loosen up a person.

_Home… My place is with my family, my friends. And they with me. But even now I miss Japan so badly… Why?_

She cleared off the mental image by looking at the translucent curtains. Pale blue, they complemented well with the shifty clouds and clear sky just beyond the thin veil of fabric. Now then, she had a favor to ask them both.

"Where's Lindy? Karel and Liera? Doesn't look like they're in today," Hayate asked casually.

"Lindy took them out for tuition; Strike Arts for Karel and Magic Theory for Liera. I guess it feels kinda lonely without them around..." Amy mumbled with an anxious look.

"No need to worry about them," Chrono took another easy sip in a composed manner, "The kids are safe in mother's hand, though I couldn't say the same for any criminal who's dumb enough to try something. And it's a nice change to have the house quiet for once."

"Chrono!" Amy shot him a scathing look, but the young man merely smiled. The brunette could glimpse traces of the old Chrono well hidden under the guise of maturity but unfettered by the passage of time. Hayate thought she should be feeling envious, but instead immeasurable relief swelled inside her like a balloon. Her friends did not change after all. They did not.

"Feels just like back then…" Hayate murmured out loud without realizing. It was only when she noticed Chrono's kind gaze that the brunette realized the slip of the tongue, and she grinned sheepishly while hiding behind her tea. It was embarrassing.

Perhaps she should delay her request for a little longer. Just a little.

Amy stared at the duo with shiny eyes and out of nowhere whipped out a digital camera. She began taking pictures.

_Click. Click._

Hayate couldn't react properly, but the young husband had recovered faster and leaped for the camera, his face dyed red. She was pretty sure it wasn't anger.

"What are you doing? Give me that!"

"In your dreams, pretty boy!"

Amy stuck a tongue out at her husband and ran. Hayate watched amusedly at the couple as they ran circles around the living room like little children. The cheery woman always had a way to make Chrono dance to her tune, no matter how serious he'd like to act.

The brunette made up her mind. She would return to Japan someday and pay Sachie a visit. Almost a year had passed since she last saw the doctor, and it was far too long a time between to see a friend. From hindsight, Sachie could even be her mother.

Hayate briefly wondered what would happen if she called the physician just that. It brought a huge smile to her face.

The rumble of car engine roared into everyone's ears before choking to silence. Then, Lindy Harlaown's elegant voice boomed loudly like an amp,

"We're _home!_" _"Home!" "Papa! Mama!"_

Chrono groaned as the twins began banging at the door repeatedly and picked out his keys. There was no escape. Hayate faced the breathless couple and smiled wryly,

"Guess I'll be staying for lunch and dinner today. Is it alright?"

"Of course!"

* * *

><p>Hayate sat meekly at the dining table humming a mindless tune as she struggled to decide whether she should bolt for the bolted door or crash through the steel framed windows. Her eyes fought hard not to look at the kitchen as smoke, fire and lightning (<em>Lightning?<em>) crashed out of the ominously black entrance with occasional roars and shrieks and cracks that suggested that all is _not _well. The brunette had previously thought that Vita was the end of the cooking world, but apparently there was a greater evil out there. Two of them, in fact.

"_Aaaaaughhhh!" _Chrono's scream echoed dreadfully into the room, and Hayate winced. The brunette half imagined the young man trying to crawl his way out of the smoke-clogged kitchen only to be dragged right back into the maw of death. Funny, she could picture image so clearly she swore it was real. Why the heck was she still here? Certainly the more rational decision would be to run away, screaming, as fast as humanly possible, and she believed that Chrono and Amy and Lindy would be right behind her.

… Or maybe just Chrono. His nerves of steel only applied to work, while the other two yank _out _their nerves and wield them as swords, twenty four seven.

_And just whose big joke was it to let the twins cook? Right, my own. Where is my spade, I need to dig myself a hole right now._

As if a paper slowly dipped into a pond of ink, Hayate's already gloomy thoughts dyed black rapidly. Then the brunette made the mistake of returning to reality and saw yellowish liquid leaking out of kitchen, inching ever so persistently over the floor. The ground zero itself was eerily silent, and Hayate felt her heart leaped to her throat. What happened? Who died? How many?

But her faint (And perhaps _not_ unreal) hopes were dashed as the former captain strode gracefully into the room with two covered plates on each hand, and the twins were following right behind her. Hayate then remembered the floor and cried out in warning, but her worries were unfounded. Lindy and Karel easily sidestepped the pool of oil without even looking, and Amy was right behind Liera when the girl slipped. The only one missing was a certain male in the family.

"Er, Lindy," the brunette asked nervously, "Where is Chrono?"

"Ah, he slipped and fell on his head, but I've casted Healing. No need to worry."

She prayed.

_Ping! Pak! _The dishes set themselves down imperiously on the table, and Hayate half thought that the steel cover reflecting blinding white light was glaring at _her_. _Imagination, _she told herself and not believing it for a second, _just my imagination._

"Okay. Would you like to me to open the dishes or…?"

The commander in Hayate immediately replied, "Yes, please. By all means."

_Don't. Open. It!_ But the brunette washed those last words down her throat with a nervous cup of clean water. Fear was bubbling all over her stomach, and she was barely able to keep up her crumbling smile. The children looked at her with shiny expectation, and suddenly her body would not obey its primal instincts to escape. Hayate felt her eyes wet, but she put on a brave face and waited for the inevitable. Pinching her nose, Lindy carefully put one hand on the tiny handle and pulled.

The unimaginably pungent smell almost knocked Hayate out as she clung on desperately to consciousness, all smiles and angels thrown to the back of her mind. Somehow, she managed to identify the tar black _thing _as something akin to meat and probably _was_, but she didn't have time to think. The next second an equally black horror revealed itself to the dumbstruck commander and briefly introduced to her brain that its name was _rice. Fried rice._

"Can I not eat this…?" Hayate squeaked weakly.

"No."

Amy moved into position and pushed on her shoulders, plopping the dejected commander back on her seat. The helpless housewife bowed apologetically at the brunette, but the brunette could hardly hold back her tongue, much less a death glare. She looked at the kids, and Karel was still looking expectantly at her. Liera though already had her head down and trembling slightly, obviously understanding just how much of a disaster their attempt had been. The look on their faces, she thought, I've seen them before. When did she –?

"_Die! Just fucking die already!"_

"_Where is my kid? My husband? Return them!"_

"_How could you let shit like that happened! You monster! Monster!"_

"_You call yourself the Ace of Aces and could only save _one _boy? Go to hell!"_

"_My mama… My papa… Give them back… Please give them back…"_

_A single woman stood amidst the boiling turmoil that was a sea of black curse; her eyes lightless, her body stank of trash, her soul rotting away as if atonement to the sins she did not bear. Efforts, sacrifices, they all amounted to nothing, for she had failed. _Failed.

_She should just -_

Ugly vomit rose to her throat, but it wasn't the horrid dishes that that gagged her silly. It was a day where the TSAB could not hold the worlds' fury in check and presented a scapegoat to save their hide. Hayate would've stood right beside Nanoha on that hideous day except that the Wolkenritters have held her back, reminding that her position and power could never take such a blow to the face, not if she wanted a second chance of redemption. And so all she did was to watch from the sidelines, to do nothing as the masses ate her friend whole, just _watching_ –

"I'll eat them. Itadakimasu." Hayate pulled the offending plate of rice closer and plowed away. Stupid to be doing this; spurred on by some old memories that could never be changed, but it didn't matter. Behind her, Amy covered her mouth in shock, disbelieving of the impossible sight unfolding before her eyes. The grandma herself stepped forward wanting to say that it was a joke, but Hayate simply glanced up once and froze the lady in her tracks. She then dragged the meat closer and bit away.

"Chicken, is it?"

"Yeah!" Karel answered enthusiastically. The brunette nodded once and resumed eating. It took her just fifteen minutes to finish the meal, and the room went completely quiet. Then, Hayate wiped the black stain on her mouth and turned to the kids. She first faced Karel,

"Okay, that black charcoal was actually edible on the inside, but it doesn't taste good. So next time, remember to use only one eighth of your fire and it should be fine. Got it?"

"Okay, Aunt Hayate. Thank you very much!" The boy bowed politely, and Hayate smiled humorously at his good manners. Misplaced it was, but nothing a good advice wouldn't fix. She patted Karel lightly on the head before looking at the daughter, eyes frowning,

"Now then. Liera," the brunette sternly said, "Why is the rice black?"

"I'm sorry! I – I'm just so scared of doing bad, and then there so was so much fire so…" The browned-hair girl looked as if she wanted to cry there and then, but she didn't. She didn't.

Gently, caringly, Hayate took Liera's hand and pulled her closer, "It's okay to be scared, but throwing lightning at food was obviously not a good idea. It was pretty bad, sorry."

She stroked a comforting finger over the little girl's cheek and smiled, "But you should keep trying. Maybe the second or third time would be just as bad; maybe then things can still get worse. But even so, it's still too early to give up. You are a smart girl, Liera, but you need to believe in yourself more. As long as you put your heart into things, you can do anything," With a small smirk the brunette added lightly, "Cooking included."

Night had arrived, and white lamps dazzled to keep them at bay. A chilly wind blew past the small slits between windows and into the house, but its occupants only felt a powerful warmth wrapping them tirelessly. Liera stared wide-eyed at Hayate for the longest of time, and suddenly the child burst into tears and dove into her lap. Karel ran up worriedly and tried really hard to soothe his sister, and while the other two women itched to check on the children they tactfully kept a little distance. Then Hayate pulled him in too and hugged them both tightly. A silent whisper escaped her lips, but the twins caught the words crystal clear and held her tighter.

"Liera, Karel… Thank you for dinner."

* * *

><p>"Want a drink?"<p>

A can of beer prodded cautiously at the edges of her view. Hayate allowed her gaze to center dully on the drink, licking her lips unconsciously as she imagined its bitter, burning sensation. Not really her type, but she needed to wash off the illusive taste of ash on her tongue. Water simply wouldn't work as well. She gave a sharp nod and took the can. Ice cold metal bit at her skin, but she ignored it and chugged down the liquor. It was as if fire had visited her throat, and the brunette felt refreshed. Awakened.

But it was not what she had wanted. Hayate frowned deeply at the tin and checked the label, "This is no good; I want to get drunk. Where's your secret stash of alcohol?"

Chrono deadpanned at the joke like he always does, "I don't _have _one. Are the food really that bad?"

"Ever tried eating dust? You do that and tell me later," Hayate stated flatly, and the young man shrugged a shoulder and looked away, obviously guilt-ridden. Her hips were totally shot to hell by the time she got out of the toilet, and Amy had to carry her to the balcony because it was simply impossible to stand, much less walking. The brunette had briefly imagined this incident leaking among her colleagues, and decided that she really didn't want to know. Hayate half-strangled Amy and threatened with promises of many dooms if she doesn't keep quiet, but she didn't sound quite deadly at all with her knees wobbling like a pendulum.

Lindy Harlaown, her one true 'master' had jumped for her knee and clung on with a death grip like it was a lifeline. The woman begged, apologized, and refused to let go until Hayate signed a pointless, badly scribbled paper agreement to pull herself off the hook. Never mind the smack at the butt she took right after that; the brunette swore that she would get back at Lindy one day. Definitely.

Now she sat lazily at the open balcony facing a night sky filled with stars, with not the slightest ounce of energy to admire. And it was a rare view from Cranagan, too. What a shame.

"Why _did _you eat them?"

Hayate raised a left hand to the blinking stars, muscles still weak and trembling in reverberation and remembrance, but she was holding well. She slipped lower on her chair for a better rest and dipped more beer into her mouth, as if holding not a care about Chrono's inquiring gaze,

"Because I didn't want to let them down... is what I would say, but there's also something. Something else."

Lindy's clear voice landed like a bunny doll on her stomach. Unexpected, light, yet harmless, "Do you want to talk about it then, Hayate?"

The brunette accidentally dropped her squint at the sky to notice that Amy and Lindy had wordlessly crawled to the white plastic chairs beside her. Hayate feigned a nasty scowl but dropped it as quickly as it came. None of them had meant real harm, and _she _was the one who ate the food voluntarily, turning a small joke into something serious. Let bygones be gone, they say.

Speaking of that, there was something she needed to do, to make sure that the past _stay_ the past. She still had a favor to ask, and there was no better time than now. Hayate took a look at the small box of beers underneath the table and frowned.

Chrono had _better _have a few more boxes than just this, because they're going to need it very soon.

"Another time. It's not in my place to say it…" The brunette downed the last vestiges of her drink in one go placed it soundlessly on top of the table, "Let's talk about business. Now that everyone's here and the kids are asleep, I can finally start."

"So you said this morning before dragging me off a meeting," Chrono replied with a bitter smile, "Let's hear it then. We've dallied for long enough."

Lindy sighed in a tone that echoed her son's, "It can only be that incident, no?"

Hayate's voice was of a cool, professional concern that bespoke of authority, "Yes; I am talking about Grey Christmas. But before we start, I want your promises that no one else will know anything about tonight's discussion."

She paused out of habit, but secrecy was the norm and daily life for every top brass, so there was no need to check for affirmative nods. The brunette briefly checked for signs of magic, found none and continued, "As we all know, the previous Grey Christmas was started by the 'enemy' – or so the man himself claimed to Nanoha – nine morning sharp at south east of Cranagan. An unidentified power erupted before engulfing the entire area with a barrier susceptible to none except for the strongest of magic. We had zero visibility, and there was no way at all to contact anyone trapped inside it, telepathy or radio or anything. We could've mobilized a ship and blast our way in, but there's a chance for casualties since we do not know how strong the barrier is. Hence, all rescue attempts came to a halt."

Her eyes fell purposefully on Chrono, whose face darkened heavily at the thought of past memories, "The situation persisted for three hours. SSD6 was off duty, and the only ones present were Shari, me and the Wolkenritters. Worse, our two best combat mages Nanoha and Fate were trapped inside the barrier.

Shari set to work but the system could not identify the alien substance, much less hacking into its program. Brute force didn't work either even though my knights tried their strongest magic against the barrier with their limiters off. I requested my own to be removed during the first hour, but that permission was delayed and subsequently forgotten due to another unprecedented crisis in the TSAB, and that was the murder of Admiral Largo Kiel and Leone Phils, by the hands of Midget Crowbel who later killed herself before capture. No one knew why. All three of the Legendary Admirals dead in a single day…"

Amy looked away to hide a tremble, and Lindy's eyes were just terribly sad. Chrono didn't bat an eye, but even he couldn't keep a hint of fury from his tone, "I know that, we _all _know. Get to the point."

Hayate raised a hand in apology before proceeding, "What I'm trying to say is this: We've lost our best leaders and six hundred thousand lives to Grey Christmas. We even lost Fate. And I will _never _let this happen again. Never."

Crimson dyed her view for an instant, but she pushed the memory away. Instead, the brunette focused her mind on a single, solemn oath she would not forget.

_Never again._

She clenched her fists and slackened them to relax, "But to accomplish that, I will need some small favors from Chrono."

The young man's eyes narrowed in understanding, "Let me guess: You're requesting permission for your limiter – no, the entire SSD6 unit's limiters to be removed?"

Hayate nodded, "That's one thing correct. And I want them off now, or as soon as possible."

"I can pull strings, but it'll take some time. A month before the date maybe, but not now," Chrono shook his head, "Especially you, Hayate. It'll be a terrible joke if we die to an accidental dimensional rupture."

"Rein will stick by me every day," the commander stated simply, "It won't happen."

"There's no guarantee –"

Hayate cut him off swift as a bird, "There's no guarantee to _anything_. What I need is better control of my powers, and no amount of virtual simulation is going to change that. I am not Nanoha," she hesitated more before admitting, "I can only learn things physically. I'll even enlist Yuuno's help to contain my spells if you're still worried."

The admiral leaned forward in frustration, but this time it was Lindy who interrupted, "Wait just a second, Chrono. Hayate, you have something more to say."

_Sharp as ever. _The former captain eyed her closely, and Hayate in turn stared at the beers with a fiery intensity that could burn holes in metal. But she held back the desire. Very casually, she pulled back a lock of hair and said,

"Yes, that's right. There's something that I would like to say, though it's more of informing than asking a favor."

Everyone held their breaths, and the brunette suddenly noticed that this was the longest time she has ever seen Amy quiet and serious. A sad smile crossed Hayate's face; they would not take this well,

"As you all already know, the Bureau has _not_ ordered the evacuation of Cranagan on 25th December. On the contrary, some of them are trying their best to convince everyone that the incident is over, and they're actually _succeeding_. Why is that?"

Chrono replied, "Politics of course. The recent incident did a blow to the Bureau's reputation and caused a lot of scrutiny from Administrated Worlds, and so the higher ups decided to quiet things down for the 'continued peace and stability of the worlds'. A terrible joke. Don't worry, I've already sent out blackmails – why are you all looking at me like that – to the instigators; things should change soon enough."

"Too late," Hayate objected immediately, "By the time you're done nobody will believe your words that the crisis isn't over, and it'll be a lot harder to authorize an evacuation. You know the drill. Screw the Bureau, the public has to know _now_ that they're still in danger."

"I can't," Chrono looked at Hayate in disbelief, "That would mean making enemies with like, _all _the higher power in the Bureau. And assuming that Grey Christmas _doesn't_ happen, I'll be destroyed by those bastards so quickly I won't even have time to blink. I cannot."

"Who says you're going to?" Hayate smiled cheerfully, "_I_ will be the one to do that. There will be a press conference tomorrow, and I will announce – not just to the entire Mid-Childa, but also all the Administrated Worlds – about the crisis. I've got excellent contacts with the media; there will be no problem. And oh," she pulled out a datapad on the table and clicked the hologram's button, "I also organized an emergency response team – myself included – to standby in case something unexpected happens, and something else. Here's a list of the members."

Nobody looked at the datapad. For a second there was only the sound of insects, chirping away with careless freedom. And then the table exploded,

"_What?" "Hayate, do you even know what you're talking about?" "TeeEhhhhhh?"_

Hayate felt her lips curling into a smile; her reactions were about as comical as she imagined, "Fortunately I'm heralded as some kind of a 'hero' since the Silver Cross incident so they won't be lynching me right away, not until Christmas is over at least. I could just leave the command to Griffith, but he's still too inexperienced to handle such a case, and Rein won't be around to help, which is why I've came here. There's simply no one else I could rely on except the two of you; Lindy and Chrono. I need the two of you to take command. I also need Amy's expertise on communication."

"Don't do it," The admiral growled dangerously, his collected manner a few minutes ago was all but forgotten, "I don't care how much the public adores you; if the Bureau wants you gone it's only a matter of time before you lose _everything_ you have. _Even your family_. You know they can. And why the hell are you passing the commander's role to us?"

Sound words, but none of which she hadn't thought herself, "As a matter of common sense, Chrono. The moment I appear on the press conference the higher ups would do everything they can do to obstruct me. Suddenly there would be rumors that Hayate Yagami has loose relationship, Yuuno Scrya is actually gay, the SSD6 is planning a rebellion – I doubt I'll even remain commander by Christmas, and the last thing I want is for the emergency response team to be disbanded. But," Hayate raised a finger, "things would be different if_ you're_ the leader. Of course, not as a commander of SSD6, it'll appear that you support me _too much_ and that'll be dangerous; you just need to be the commander of the emergency response team. They have no reason to go against Admiral Chrono Harlaown, and if the Admiral decides to use Hayate Yagami in his team no one would dare say a thing."

Chrono said coldly, "I have no reason to use you. You won't even appear in the conference. Amy, get the door."

Hayate slid her vision to the side, and she saw his wife moving exactly as he ordered. The doubt was evidently there, but the determination in her eyes looked stronger. Even Lindy was eyeing her closely, not giving her chances to pull any clever tricks. The brunette sighed inwardly; did they really think that a physically inept person like her could escape any of them? Sprout wings and fly?

Not that she planned to, anyway. She never did. It was regrettable, but it didn't look like she has a choice. She hadn't wanted to resort to such measures against a friend.

_Forgive me_.

"Admiral Chrono," Hayate closed her eyes in pretense, and shut off her emotions, "you wouldn't want to do this. You'll be committing a terrible crime if you do."

The black haired man smiled coldly, "What offense exactly, pray tell? All I see is a very good friend of mine staying over for a couple of days. Or weeks, depending on her fickle mood."

"I do not mean of this… kidnapping," Hayate casually waved her hand around, "although if my knights hear about this you'll wish you never did. No, what I meant is a much, _much_ greater crime – something like _mass genocide_."

Chrono froze. Amy froze. The chill of the night seeped deep into bones, and Hayate couldn't help but shiver at the cold. It was not because the turmoil of shame and regret that distorted Chrono's face into ugliness, nor was it the look of absolute confusion on Lindy's and Amy's, because if she doesn't tell herself that, then Hayate Yagami would not be able to continue,

"Two days ago, I happen to _overhear_ that _five_ XV class warships are called back to Mid-Childa, _Cranagan, _and I doubt they're there to put on an acrobatic show. _Your warship is one of them_. So tell _us_, Chrono, – _why are they there?_"

"Chrono, it can't be…" Lindy said breathlessly. Amy still looked clueless, but the emerald-haired woman had not been admiral so many years for nothing. A twinge of regret hooked deep into the brunette's heart, but she forced it out of her mind and pressed on relentlessly,

"Can't say anything? Never mind, let me do the talking for you – the Bureau isn't so optimistic or naïve to think that a second Grey Christmas couldn't happen, but at the same time they do not want to appear weak or cowardly to the other worlds. So they needed a plan. And this plan they so incredibly came up – I still have trouble believing it myself – was first, to tell the civilians of Cranagan that everything is fine, it's over; because if nothing happens and they evacuate an entire city of people they'll be losing a lot of money, not to mention that it's devastating to business.

But what if Grey Christmas does happen? That would be troubling. The Bureau's reputation would be destroyed if they let their home world, their _main base_ destroyed without doing a thing. There's also a few officials in the High Council who had lost their families to the incident, and they really, _really_ want it to be over once and for all."

Hayate opened her arms as if to signal the end's curtain, "No one knows what Grey Christmas is, but everyone agrees that they must have originated from a point. A source. Something inside the red barrier. And so they've decided: If Grey Christmas ever happens they will fire down on Cranagan and _destroy everything_. Not even the enemy can take such a bombardment. No more Grey Christmas, and the show of power would silence _anyone_ who dares to dispute. Hey," the brunette wagged a finger in joke, "we're looking at the rise of a real Empire here. Be proud, soldiers."

Everyone turned silent. Life leaked out of the admiral, and he sank like a rock into his chair. Lindy's eyes were looking into the past, wondering perhaps exactly where things had gone wrong, how things could ever turn out this way. Amy looked at her husband in shock, unable to believe, unwilling to believe, her voice stuttering, "C-Chrono… You're… you're a part of _this_? Please tell me… tell me that you're not…"

The young man closed his eyes. His fists were grasped so tight they were white as ghost, and for a moment only there was only the wind whistling. And then he answered,

"_I am."_

She slapped him. She slapped him with such strength that her body rocked off balance, slapped him so hard that he was lifted off the ground and fell with a horrible _thud_ against the hard marble floor. Hayate had not for a moment expected this. The muscular strength he built as an Enforcer since childhood was probably the only reason his neck didn't snap broken. Amy strode towards him looking mad enough to kill the man, but Hayate finally recovered from her shock to hold her in place, "Stop! _Stop! _You're misunderstanding something!"

"_What else do I need to understand?"_ Amy screamed and struggled in her grasp, no longer caring whether she's heard by the children, _"He admitted it! He admitted to be part of it! Think about the kids, Chrono! How could you?"_

"Amy, listen, _Amy._ Chrono _never agreed_ to the plan. Don't you see? He _pretended_ to follow the plan so he'll be let into the assault group; it's the only chance he'll get to intervene and stop them from firing. Chrono would _never _kill people, you know him best! _Amy!_"

By then Lindy finally joined the fray, and eventually the words got through Amy's head and she stopped struggling. Sensing that the woman wasn't going to strangle her husband to death Hayate let go and slumped in exhaustion into the chair. The brunette could not stop thinking how close it had been; if she had been a split second _slower_ –

"… That hurt," Chrono muttered as he slowly rubbed his jaw. Amy was still staring murder at the man, but it was just the remnants of her rage, and even that was fading rapidly.

Hayate however, was growing rapidly angry, "What the hell was that, Chrono? You _knew_ that was going to happen!"

"I…" he got up, obviously in pain and not looking her in the eye, "I'm sorry. That was entirely my fault. I shouldn't have… said that."

"Damn right you shouldn't," Hayate hissed angrily, "I understand that you're feeling guilty, but you won't do _anyone_ good if you're dead. Don't _ever_."

"… Yes."

They turned silent again. Lindy looked at the window above, looking anxious that the voice of their commotion might have woken up the kids, but it seemed that they were still sleeping. Amy looked deflated of all feelings as she sat tiredly on the floor, unable and unwilling to meet Chrono in the eye. Her hands were trembling; perhaps remembering how close it had been; the hit of a soldier, even if she was just a military officer; how _close_ she was to killing Chrono with that hand. The young man walked unsteadily to his wife, and sat beside her. He held her hands.

She buried her face into his shoulder, holding back the tears.

Chrono spoke unexpectedly, jolting Hayate from her state of hesitancy, "Do you know, Hayate? Do you know why they did not evacuate everyone away from Cranagan first, and then shoot down on the city?"

For a moment the brunette wasn't sure what to say. That was indeed her biggest question: Why don't they do that? That way, they could've avoided casualties altogether _and _eliminate Grey Christmas. Just why must they burn the city _along_ with its people?

Hayate sucked in a deep breath and cleared her head. She had come this far; she would _not _falter now.

"No, I don't. Why?" Hayate asked slowly.

"Bait."

"Bait?" The word didn't make sense. What bait?

"Bait," Chrono repeated, "Do you remember? What makes Grey Christmas unique?"

It still didn't make sense. Is this a joke? "Unique?" Hayate tried to process the words, "Grey Christmas kills –"

_Kills?_

The blood drained from her face. _You have gotta be joking_. But her heart knew that it was true. In fact, now that she thought about it, she must've been subconsciously suppressing the knowledge all along. Chrono nodded with solemnity, and replied,

"Yes… Grey Christmas kills _every living being _within its area, be it human, animal, plants, everything. Even after the first GC, Cranagan still has the densest population in Mid-Childa. Now then… are you one hundred percent _certain_ that Grey Christmas would happen in Cranagan _only_?"

Hayate could not answer.

Chrono gave her a chilling smile, "_Bait_. Don't falter now, Hayate; I do _believe_ that the disaster could not happen at anywhere else but Cranagan. Or at least, start there. Just my instinct. You will get what you wish: No limiters, the press conference, me commanding your team, everything. In return, you will do just _one_ thing for me. Just one. A pretty convenient task, really, considering that you already have a team assembled."

"You will stop Grey Christmas… No. You will _kill _it. Forever."

* * *

><p>"<em>Actually, I have an idea."<em>

"_It's something that I'll hate a _lot_, no?"_

"_I don't know, Reunion. I hate it myself."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[0082 month 10 day 2 1159]<em>**

* * *

><p>"…"<p>

It was warm. She drifted aimlessly in a flowing, still world, feeling with her skin the almost sensation of floating in emptiness. Flying had in a way realized one dream and smashed another: The air does not hold her gently as would an imaginary balloon, but instead they were loose as tiny strings that she must grab tightly with magic to stay afloat. Hayate never did have the talent to soar the sky; she was too much of an earthbound girl who preferred something solid beneath her feet. Flying was not the key to the locks of reality that shackled her soul.

Therefore time in this state of the mind was precious. Something not even dreams could convey fully the realistic feeling of floating lighter than water; to cut paths through the crowds of people as if godless and alien. It was better than a daydream, even if a daydream was the entrance fee to this exotic theater of life.

"…"

An incessant buzzing. It was a paradox for something to exist and yet be endless, and it was not a paradox from a different, wider perspective. But setting that aside, it would seem that her precious time was coming to an end. Reality was calling her consciousness, dragging her in bubble chains and bounds that seemed so transient yet irresistible. A bait humans were not equipped to reject. Should she resist? The incessant buzzing grew louder.

"… Hayate. If you don't snap out of your whatever state-of-the-mind stuff I'm going to push you to that electrical pole, trip you, throw these stupid bags on your head and walk away. Fine, you've had your warning –"

Hayate easily dodged Reunion's hand and smiled. It sent a chill down the boy's back as he tried to escape, but the deed was already done. Out of nowhere chain binds slithered in to lock the item bags firmly onto his hands and back, and Hayate thoroughly ignored the public's incredulous stares while declaring, "Looks like those disciplinary trainings hasn't sunk in yet, hmm? That's it, we're going for a vacation."

"You will _not –_ What? What? What?"

"Yes… We would go to Carnaaji for some preliminary scouting. Just you, me, my knights, Rein and Agito. The Yagami family trip. In fact, I've already called Megane about it, and we'll be going tomorrow. That is why if you drop even a _single _bag on the floor –"

She slapped Reunion hard on the back, and the kid nearly stumbled. He gulped. Hayate's increasing unpredictability and trickiness tore through his magic as easily as paper. There really was no telling what the demon would do once she set her mind on punishment. He muttered in annoyance,

"Yeah, yeah. Dammit."

Hayate pulled at his ear _hard, _and the boy finally managed to keep his mouth shut. Satisfied at his obedience, she began to submerge back into her thoughts wishing for that immeasurable tranquility she just lost. She was about to succeed.

"… Preliminary scouting, huh."

Reality was unkind. She replied with an unusually bright tone,

"Yeah. Looking out for the kids, you know. Miura. Vivio. The bunch."

Then they were silent, until Hayate made her ridiculous statement to her family once back at the house to result in an uproar of utter panic, chaos, and packing. Lots and lots of packing.

* * *

><p>"… We really did come for a vacation, didn't we?" Signum's eyes followed Lutecia's skimpy bath suit as the girl zoomed down the new water slide with an excited scream, frowning. Vita was caught along in an unbreakable neck lock – courtesy of her own carelessness to actually <em>trust <em>the Hayate-trained girl – and to be shield as they plunged almost ninety degrees and from twenty meters above. It was a rare sight, and Hayate snapped relentless photos of the hilarious spectacle.

"Of course we are! Everyone's been here except us, and that's not fair at all!" Snap. Snap. Switch to burst mode, _Snap._ Signum frowned a little harder, unable to ascertain whether her Mistress was joking or not. Despite feeling comforted that the brunette was enjoying the time of her life, the warrior could never quite get used to how Hayate could fool around like she was three years old despite being twenty six. Or that she was squealing in baby high notes and jumping as if there're springs in her knees, utterly uncaring for the potential few stories high tsunami that might hit them hard.

Signum thought she could see Vita's soul for a second when the impact happened. She muttered a prayer.

"Try to enjoy the best you can, Signum. You never know."

She turned her head abruptly, but Hayate was already bouncing away in twos and threes with her attention drawn to Megane. The beautiful mother shrieked as the brunette unhooked her bra with the deftness of a master.

Signum suddenly wished to feel Laevantein in her palm. She fought back the urge.

* * *

><p>"Aunt Hayate, is it true that you once challenged a Land Force battalion to strip poker and won?"<p>

The question came out of nowhere and landed like a bomb. Lutecia yelped as Hayate's fingers abruptly tightened on her head, but the brunette quickly unclenched them and apologized, "Woops, sorry. Er, where did you hear that from?"

Lutecia replied innocently, "Someone, somewhere, sometime ago. How did you do it?"

Hayate rolled her eyes and went back to washing the girl's hair. As usual, she found it rather fascinating that there were actual people who were born with purple hair, "I was drunk when I made that bet. Luckily I won, or else my career and dreams would've been ruined in a single night," She scooped some water from the hot spring and poured them down carefully, "Was it Agito?"

Lutecia shivered involuntarily as the white foams flushed off her hair, answering, "No, not her."

"So it is her. Looks like there'll be some family spanking to do tonight. And in case you're wondering how," Hayate chided gently, "The water is _hot._"

The purple-haired girl's shoulder slumped, and Hayate knew that she had guessed right. Her student has yet much to learn. She wrapped her fingers delicately around the silky threads before pulling downwards once, twice, as if stroking a kitten, "So, how is life in Carnaaji? I'm not too familiar with the countryside…"

"Just fine. Around here it's always peaceful and quiet, and I'm together with mum." Lutecia quietly eyed the others enjoying the time of their lives under the full moon, "The townspeople are pretty nice, and I've made some friends. Plenty of insects too."

"That's good."

"You think?"

They chatted on. Occasionally there would be laughter, a jest, and even a little prank on the soap-sliding Rein. Lutecia seemed to revert back to her old, quieter self but not recluse; Hayate a lot more honest and open instead of keeping her hardened, cheerful façade. Perhaps they did not realize themselves, but despite all differences, to the eyes of those watching them, they really do look like sisters.

"Lutecia."

"Hmm?" Their positions were now reversed. Hayate closed her eyes and submitted herself to darkness, humming as she enjoyed the girl's expert ministrations caressing gently on her head,

"When this Christmas comes, I'll be visiting here again with everyone else. It'll be a huge gathering."

"Really? That would be great! Just imagine all the fun we'll have!" Purple hair swayed as Lutecia laughed.

"Yeah. We could have a blackout party like last time, a night adventure, card games maybe if they let me play…" The night rustled at the mercy of blowing winds, and Hayate pressed harder into Lutecia's lap. She felt chilly. The laughter passed by like an ephemeral dream, less than an illusion.

"… But it won't come true, isn't it. Not for this, next year, the year after."

Like a blade mild shock pierced through her chest with every word, and the brunette felt ashamed. She was being selfish again, lying to keep up her another's feeble dreams of happiness, even though she knew they could not be real, even though it was just a fleeting wish that could no longer come true. Clear water splashed lightly against her thigh, and it felt scalding hot and very much alive.

"You're right. You're right, at the very least I cannot be there, and Nanoha won't either. We have a… responsibility to fulfill."

"Then give me one reason why I shouldn't be there to help you," There was no hesitation at all in her voice. Hayate didn't need to see to know that Lutecia meant every word, and that her strength was downright fearsome when deployed on the right battlefield. Unfortunately, she needed her student somewhere else.

Hayate chose her words carefully, "You will, just not for this mission. Listen, Lutecia. Two days before Christmas, I want you to gather up all of your friends _here_. Miura, Vivio, Einhart, Corona; everyone you can find. Do you understand what I mean?"

Lutecia took her time to ponder before she replied, "… You want my place as a refugee camp. No, a second base?"

"Refugee camp," Hayate corrected strongly, "Let's be honest: Should Grey Christmas happens, your presences will only kill us. This is not a joke," she added in seriously when she saw Lutecia's skeptical look, "I _cannot _afford any of my soldiers wandering off by themselves just because one of you needs rescuing."

"So you expect us to sit in front of the screen waiting for news and do nothing?" Lutecia said sarcastically.

"Yes," _Oh, I'm definitely going to hell for saying this,_ "If you don't, then you will risk your friends' death."

She sensed a shudder from Lutecia's fingers and felt guilt eating her alive, but Hayate persisted coldly, matter-of-factly, "You will risk our death. You will risk losing everyone you ever love because of your one moment of selfishness… do you want that, Lutecia?"

And silence reigned. Hayate suddenly noticed that everyone else had left, maybe sensing the solemn mood and decided to not interfere. The night was stifling, and the brunette wasn't sure that it was steam choking her lungs. If she disagrees then…

"… You _have _to come back, okay?" The bell-like voice rang timidly, fearful of the future but firm.

Hayate sighed in relief, and she joked laughingly, "Of course I will. Wouldn't want to miss the sugar party now, would I?"

"If you don't, or I find the situation bad then…" She trailed off. Hayate nodded.

They got out of the hot spring and joined the others, a trail of wispy air following as if trying to reach.

* * *

><p>"<em>No."<em>

"_Reunion…"_

"_Just what is wrong with you? You know the consequences. You know that you got lucky the first time. And you're telling me you want to… to… Are you _fucking_ insane?"_

"_You don't have any right to say that, Reunion. You showed me that memory."_

"_You –!"_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Year 0082 month 10 day 10 0900]<em>**

* * *

><p>A day hasn't passed by without a certain bored commander yawning as if the act alone could earn her money. Not that she ever needed to worry about financial crisis unless she's waging war, so it did nothing except to add even more boredom. Her desk was empty, her pen was untouched, and then sunlight penetrated through the thin line of glass to shine lazily into the room. Gentle heat rippled neatly above her snow soaked skin, and Hayate was fondly reminded of the full body massage that she got from her medical artist Doctor Shamal. The blonde has emphasized truthfully that only her skill in opening bodies could outdo her massage… Perhaps a reason why the brunette never pursued for a second time, but that was now in the past. It had been a blissful, exotic experience that she would <em>kill <em>to relive again right _now_, but unfortunately reality had other things to say. Ah, if only she could kill reality. As the early birds chirped on thoughtlessly in front of the window, Hayate simply could not resist the infinite dullness any longer and succumbed to her inner devil. She glanced an evil eye over a certain item, hand slightly sweating with shiver and anticipation, and pressed the button.

Her bag – specifically Rein's favorite resting spot – was secretly rigged with a metal spring underneath the fairy's bed. Upon clicking a hidden switch on Hayate's multipurpose remote (Which she also secretly modified to satisfy a demonically insatiable need such as today), the rather simple contraption would trigger, open the cover, and –

"Hyaaaauuwaaaa?" Her drowsy little fairy was propelled beautifully into the air, drawing a few perfectly circular arcs before landing safely into the brunette's lap just as calculated. A light giggle escaped her lungs as she bounced back to the bag and carefully placed the utterly disorientated Unison Device inside once more. It was a good thing she insisted that Rein discard her human form today. _Really_ good. Hayate closed the bag, went back to her previous position and hovered a finger –

"_What are you doing, Mistress Hayate!"_ Rein burst out of the insidious trap before it could catch her, and dove straight for the perpetrator's nose. The brunette didn't even bother blinking as she smiled wickedly and clicked yet _another _button. The tiny fairy immediately spun backwards in alarm; half expecting a pair of tiny pincers to fire out of the bag and wrap her like a cartoon show, but nothing happened. It took her a second to realize she had been tricked, and then it was too late.

"Mini-Size Full Bind!" As the name had suggested a stream of tiny chains burst out of Hayate's index finger and made quick work of the helpless fairy who was struggling and fuming with cute little white steams blowing off her head. Frustration was quickly gobbled up by fear though when the brunette began towards her with a _very _creepy smile on her face. And she didn't even bother masking her words,

"Rein~ Let's have some fun~"

"_Nooooooooooo!"_

As if on cue, suddenly there was a loud beep and Hayate instinctively reached for the communicator at her waist. Never too good with small scale magic, her split concentration flickered the bind and gave Rein just enough time to wriggle loose and escape the spell. One second later, the Unison Device dove for the slits between windows and cried all the way to the horizon.

"Ah, she escaped. Oh well." _She has to go home eventually, and when that happens…_

_Beep. _The naked apron Rein went poof like a smoke, and Hayate frowned deeply at her communicator. Recently she had tinkered around with its settings to beep twice as a reminder in case her mind drifted somewhere else – which happened really often as of late – but it didn't stop the heart burn and the constant itch in her hand to just reset everything.

But Hayate knew that the message must be important. She and Rein had put together a perfect filter to block off the endless stream of calls and messages initiated unsurprisingly from her ground shaking conference one week ago, and rejected any form of visits from version polite to downright screaming like a banshee. The 'Off World Classified Mission' excuse was working like a charm, and with Chrono and Carim backing her up the incessant whiners had no choice but to quit, offline that is. Online it was another story, but since the device now only accepts communications from a few selected friends she was not in risk of being flooded by a swamp of threats and profanity. The downside of this fragile peace though, was that she had nothing to do. Literally. Hayate usually cleaned up her daily duties within the hour, and after that it was either planning, training, or pranking the heck out of her aide, her crew, her friends, her family… At least she only played them during off duties and breaks, but a lesser hell is still hell. No one could stop (or dare to) the commander, and productivity in SSD6 was suffering.

Brushing a sigh from her lips, Hayate navigated away from the settings control regrettably and began reading the message,

"_I'm free now. Do you want to train? Come to the usual place. ~Nanoha Takamichi"_

A slow smile spread across the brunette's face. Maybe Rein's absence was a blessing in disguise after all.

* * *

><p>"… Not bad, Hayate. If I was half a second slower you would have gotten me."<p>

The commander managed a wry smile before climbing to her feet. They felt like iron-filled bags, but surely she could manage another mock battle, "No kidding; I caught you in a perfect bind yet somehow _I'm _the one smoking in a crater."

"Well, you fumbledwith your follow up, so I got a chance," Nanoha gently landed beside Hayate and began examining her injuries with concern, "Your tactics are good, but they're too inflexible and you lack reflexes. Are you _sure _you want to fight on the front?"

"That makes the twelfth time you've asked me in a week, Nanoha," the commander casually wiped soot off her hair while clicking a few changes into her battle plan. The move before had been perfect; she just needed more practice with the exchange, "And I'm going to answer you for the last time. Yes, I'm going to fight on the front. Yes, I know it goes against everything we've learned in theory and practice. Yes, I'm going to be a nuisance in my squad because I suck and unfortunately happen to be too valuable to lose."

What Hayate didn't say was their lack of available choices. Ironically enough, while an XV grade warship could easily one shot a continent at its full power, they could not maneuver as well when gravity's involved. It would take almost thirty percent of its battery just to sustain levitation, and the strain rises to a full eighty on the move. That makes deploying them out of space highly unfeasible, not to mention that seventeen magical behemoths converging on a single _city_ was bound to rip a few dimensional holes here and there.

And she was _still _the only double S mage known to TSAB. There might be others out there, but it'll be impractical to assume her yearlong search for such a mage would come to an end. Even less impractical would be to expect the mage to risk his or her life for something they'd never known or even cared for. Given three or four months Hayate was certain she could convert anyone under her sect, but just not one and a half.

She winced as the shock faded to reveal a gnarling pain buzzing all over her body. Her right shoulder could have been fractured the way it's shooting nails of hurt into her brain, but Hayate stubbornly ignored it and casted Heal. Slowly she crawled back on her feet and faced Nanoha with determination in her eyes, "One more, please."

The brunette shook her head, "No. You can't move your right hand, can you? The fight's over."

"No it's not; you worry too much. I'm the Living Lost Logia, remember? Such an injury is child's play," Hayate joked, but her eyes hinted that she was very serious. Slowly the commander rose to full height and brimming with magic, hands flipping the pages of Book of Darkness out of habit while training her eyes fully on Nanoha. She gave Schwertkreuz a few good swings, and it felt good.

Her best friend though remained uncooperative. Sternly she grabbed hold of Hayate's arm and forced down her staff, "That's _enough_. You did well today, but anymore would be pushing it. Rest."

"But I've been doing _nothing _since morning, and we've only sparred for an hour. How am I supposed to rest?" She tried once more to raise her staff, but to her irritation one arm was not a match for two. Then there was the gleam in Nanoha's eyes that reminded Hayate of the brunette's infamous stubbornness. There would be no arguing with the brunette no matter how sound her logic was, and even if she tried to force a fight –

"_This is my resolve, Hayate. Even if I have to use, even if I have to kill –"_

Hayate stiffened up like a log, and her sudden reaction was not missed by a supporting Nanoha. Thankfully her friend read her wrongly and asked, "What is it? Are you hurt somewhere else? Is it your legs?"

"Ah – no, I'm fine, just a little dizzy. Let's go then."

"Hmm," Nanoha stared suspiciously at her face, but Hayate quickly adapted a playful grin and sneaked a hand at the brunette's breast. It worked like a charm as her friend yelped, very nearly knocking the commander off-balance,

"Yo - you! Not again!"

"My hand slipped."

"Eighteen times in a year?"

"Wow, you remembered. But it was nineteen; that last gathering? You're so drunk you probably don't remember that one time I measured your three sizes."

"_Hayate!"_

Hayate teased her friend all the way to the infirmary enjoying the flustered look on Nanoha's face trying to explain with crimson ears and a stuttering tongue, and as a result the brunette never noticed that she paid for both their lunches. All in all she managed to kill some time, nail down trainings and even enjoyed a friendly moment with her precious friend. It was a pretty good day.

She hid her trembling hands beneath the lunch table, and smiled.

* * *

><p>It was perfectly fine to spend an entire day locked inside the room, thinking. Hayate had given specific orders that <em>no one<em> was to disturb her so much as knocking the metallic door. Enclosed in overwhelming silence, the brunette couldn't help but notice that such a space only served to emphasis further the heated, mute ring inside her ears. It was almost the same sensation one would get by blocking off both ears; just a lot more spacey and… dim?

Hayate slowly pulled back her hair and cleared off the stray thoughts. With a steady amount of focus she settled her gaze on Teana's latest report, pondering her next move. Erio and Caro have finally returned from their months-long mission to join the SSD6, and after traversing all twenty worlds closest to Mid-Childa it was obvious that the duo was battered and weary. But Hayate needed their strength, and the faster they familiarize themselves with the new arrangements, the better.

That being said, it was absolutely fine to let them rest for today and tomorrow. The brunette sent out a short thank you and subsequently closed the report. Her suspicions were confirmed; there was only one world Fatecould be hiding; but what exactly should she make of it? Rationally speaking the blonde should be dug out as soon as possible, but that was the case _before _her friend released Jail Scaglietti. Now that her friend had all but branded herself as a terrorist there was nothing Hayate could do to save her. It would be better to just feign ignorance and leave her be.

On the other hand, Fate's illness could only grow worse as more time passed by. She has done remarkably well to retain her memories, but that was only because of Nanoha's constant presence beside her. Living a prisoner's life she might be, but at least Fate was still _Fate_. There was also no way to tell whether that weird phenomenon that killed Verossa would happen again. Now that the blonde was all but alone – or with Jail, which was even worse – she could very well have forgotten her friends, her family, her past… everything. Hayate simply cannot ignore the possibility, and if it did happen the one who _allowed_ it would be none other than herself.

Of course, breathing some fresh air of freedom would actually heal her friend. It was such a wishful, hopeless thought that Hayate wanted to laugh at herself with sticks and fire.

_The longer I take to make up my mind, the worse it gets for Fate. And even then it may be too late._

But truth be told, the commander really didn't know what to do. Catching Fate was the easy part; what to do after was not: Hide her? Nearly impossible with all the attention she's getting now; her entire crew could be accused of treason. Turn her in? She hasn't forgotten the reason she hid Fate's connection to Verossa's death, definitely no. Get someone else's help? Possible, but it'll take a specialized squad to catch Fate if she resists, and the few capable candidates the brunette could think of were all… unsuitable. Reasons, there were_ tons _of reasons why they cannot do it. Personal feelings came immediately to mind, law a quick second, combat-turned-pursuit cut almost everyone off her list. Schach and Sein have the necessary skills, but she wasn't sure about Carim's response. Hayate would forever remember the day she admitted the truth to her, and how the cup handle was literally _crushed _beneath that mask of complete calmness. True to the Church and her beliefs, Carim would not harm Fate. But there were many ways to torture someone's conscience without inflicting bodily harm.

Really, what should she do if Fate does come back? What does she _wish _for from Fate's return?

_Nothing. All I ever wanted was Fate to be back safe and sound and… free. Free from that horrible illness. Free from the hospital._

_I just want everything to be normal again._

Hayate looked up from her screen, and noticed that it was dark. Time, 2030. Six hours have passed since her self-imposed solitary confinement, and there was not a single solution she could think of and be satisfied. Except for today's training and bonding with Nanoha, it had been an exceptionally unproductive day. Not good.

The brunette looked briefly at her hands for signs of shiver, flexing the fingers ever so slowly to check if they were truly fine, and they were. Reassured, she stood up from her seat with a lazy stretch and began towards the door –

"Finally decided to go out?"

Hayate leaped a good three feet away from the sudden voice, an instinct that was drilled into her body thanks to Nanoha's training. She looked up, spells ready to fire and –

A miffed Rein stared at Hayate with both hands folded over her chest and standing right behind the desktop screen. No wonder she had missed her earlier. Quickly recomposing herself, the brunette breathed a small sigh and said, "Rein, please knock the door before you come in. No, wait, how did you come in at the first place? I thought I locked it with a new password."

"I am your Unison Device," Rein replied simply, "It is only natural that I could decipher my Mistress' password."

Her companion obviously wasn't in a good mood, and god knows how long she's been waiting for Hayate to notice her; which she didn't. The brunette grabbed her jacket from the chair and offered a pocket to Rein, "C'mon, let's go get some dinner. You must be hungry."

But the Device blatantly ignored her request and launched straight to a question, "What's wrong with your hands?"

_Oh no. _The brunette almost hid her hands on instinct as she tried to dismiss the matter, "Nothing much, the room's just a little cold; that's all."

"_What is wrong with your hands?_"

"It's…" The tensed atmosphere in the room was positively choking. She had never seen Rein with such a severe expression, and there was a foreboding sense of dread tickled at her heart like a poking needle. The quick-witted tongue she usually possessed seemed to have abandoned her as Hayate struggled for an answer.

"You used the spell then," Rein was literally shaking with fury as the words fell out as heavy as bricks, "I thought I told you before _never_ to use it."

This subject however, was a ground that Hayate could not give way, "But I must. I can't pretend to know a risk and not do something about it, Rein."

The excuse did nothing but to fan the Device's anger as she hovered in closer and half-yelled angrily, "Bane Binder is _not _a spell you can train for, only a Device can do it! Mistress, you _cannot _use any of our experimental spells again, not without me, or you –"

Something must have shown on her face, because the Device faltered suddenly in mid-sentence and wouldn't look at her in the eyes. But Rein didn't stop either as her words pounded through the brunette's heart like a stake,

"If you don't listen, then you might – you might be _crippled_ again."

She closed her eyes. Before that fateful meeting with magic, Hayate's childhood has always been associated with a wheelchair, for almost as far as she could remember. Perhaps at the age of nine she was too young and innocent, but to the her own surprise she had never hated her fate. Sometimes envy would grasp her from time to time nudging at her negative feelings, but neither sadness nor pain has ever tainted her heart, but maybe that was because she gave up a long time ago. Why waste time brooding over things that could not change? To the world or herself, Hayate Yagami has been, and would always be the dying girl with broken legs.

And then she met the Wolkenritters. Suzuka, Nanoha, Fate, everyone. There were so many people who were less fortunate than her, but instead _she_ was given a second chance at life. How could she not give it her all? How could she ever hope to return such a debt?

_But Rein was also _right_._

Her decision was made, "… Sorry, but the training will continue."

"_Mistress!"_

"Hold your horses," Hayate raised her hands in defense, "Just let me finish. I will practice the new spells and I will do it alone. _But –_"

The light dimmed from Rein's eyes as she whirled around and headed fuming for the door; clearly the Device _refuse_ to listen another round of her reasoning. Hayate blinked an eye exasperatedly before striding forwards to follow.

"Rein."

"Stop following me! If you're not going to listen then me neither!"

"But –"

"No buts, no excuses!"

Brute force it is. Stamina-wise she was actually weaker than Rein, so Hayate charged full speed at her aide without even bothering to silence her advance. The silver-haired fairy was caught totally off guard when Hayate snatched her out of mid-air and hugged her close to the chest. As she began struggling, for the first time in years the brunette noticed that she might actually _lose_ to Rein in strength as well who was n_ot_ in her human form. It was beyond disturbing.

"Let – me – go!"

"Stop moving! I'm not done talking –" Hayate grunted and forced down her entire weight decisively, but for an amazing moment Rein almost lifted the commander _off her feet_. As they both crashed down towrads the floor Hayate dimly reminded herself that she should not skip anymore meals, or else risk losing her dignity should a similar scuffle happen again in public. She stared down on her Device, and despite being unable to resist those eyes were glowering like two pretty little lanterns.

"Been doing some heavy lifting?" Hayate asked dryly.

Rein stared right back and provoked humorlessly, "_You're_ the one who's too light."

"I'll try to eat more in the future. Now, back to the subject," she paused for a retort, but the Device simply puffed her cheeks and looked away, "Would you listen to me? Please?"

"It's not like I have a choice."

"Yes, you don't," The unexpected response caused Rein to jerk upwards at her direction, and Hayate interpreted it as a good sign, "Do not forget that I am your Mistress. But I'm still giving you a chance to choose, so what is your answer?"

Hayate knew she had Rein cornered. The title was seldom used and never flaunted, but today was a very special exception. She was not going to argue about the subject of morality versus health again, and there was still a message waiting to be passed. Adding weight behind her words, the brunette called out to the fairy firmly,

"Rein?"

"... Yes."

"Good," The defiant look on Rein's face was adorably cute, but Hayate held back on laughing. Instead she allowed an innocent grin on her face as she loosened her hold little by little, "Now where was I – Ah, yes."

Hayate cleared her throat and continued at a friendly pace, "I need to practice the new spells alone. Suppose that we have to act separately, and I'm caught in a fight. Suppose that the new spells are my only chances to survive. How well do you think I'll fare using them with no practice or reliable experience?"

"… Bad," Rein's tone was as bitter as medicine, but at least she was listening.

"Correct. So I will practice… in _simulation_."

Rein blinked once, then twice. Hesitantly the fairy raised a hand to catch her attention and asked,

"Really? _Only _in simulation?"

"That's right," Hayate confirmed easily with a shrug of shoulders, "While I would prefer to practice in real combat, the risks are too high. And honestly? I would _hate _to visit the hospital a third time. Do you agree?"

Judging from Rein's expression, the answer was _yes, yes, yes! _Through to through. But still the Device was dubious as she leaned in closer with puppy eyes; the kind so _deadly _Hayate could never resist, "Really _really_? You promise? Pinky swear? If you're lying again then I'll –"

"Yes, yes," The commander tossed her noisy companion into her breast pocket with a wry smile on her face. The result was an itchy tickle and yelps of surprise, but Hayate found it rather heartwarming. Heading towards the exit, steady steps trudged on confidently as shadow shrouded their passing figure, she said strongly, "Don't worry, I won't repeat Nanoha's mistake. This time, we'll fight and win this… together."

* * *

><p>"<em>Start the contract, Reunion. We only have one hour before they come back."<em>

"_You know the consequences. You might – no, you _will_ break your mind. I just don't know how."_

"_I won't. Not until I've accomplished my purpose."_

"_They all say the same thing."_

"_I won't."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Year<em>_ 0082 month 11 day 2 1123]_**

* * *

><p>"How is everyone's progress today?"<p>

"Hmm… Not too well I guess. Except Erio, none of them could handle 'Protection' for more than two minutes before puking their guts off."

"_I _made it through, didn't I? They'll just have to bite the bullet and pull through."

"Commander, you're on a totally different level from the rest of us! Speaking of which…"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we talking about work on a shopping trip?" Shari lifted both hands full of bags and grinned pleadingly. The champagne bottles jingled of bells while swaying like an old man on swing as the people rushed by rapidly, urgently. Hayate shrugged simply and replied, "It just happened to be on my mind, that's all."

Today's shopping trip was actually not part of her plan for the day, but Vivio called, then Lutecia called, then unbelievably _Carim _herself called, and now Hayate found herself out of the headquarters to procure Christmas goods for the future as well as some food ingredients for their 'surprise' visit tonight. Hayate knew that she had chosen her protégé well, but to pull a trick on her so quickly and successfully… _well, at least this is one worry off the 'if' scenarios._

That being said, she was still the only reliable cook in the house, and Nanoha was not allowed to help her. Apparently they wanted to teach her a lesson for not taking breaks, but really, what part of taking it easy include shopping everything from this crazy huge list? The note they gave her literally spanned from chest-height to knees! And who still uses paper and pen these days?

… They probably also expected her to rope in a friend to help out. They might even guessed accurately that she would choose Shari, since the two of them often meet to talk about her device's maintenance. Hayate found her own predictability downright disturbing, and vowed silently to change her habits. Or retaliate from their backside, which was much more preferable.

Hayate gave an irritated sigh and turned a corner; revenge could always wait. So far they have made some surprisingly good progress and one check on the watch confirmed that she has an ample amount of time to get home and prepare. In fact, they were one hour faster than her initial prediction; today must be a lucky day.

_Huh?_

The lines on Hayate's forehead deepened, and her assistant apparently misinterpreted it as a sign of deadly displeasure. Immediately the bags began to fly as Shari bowed hastily downwards, resulting in fleeing passerby and the heavy _klonk_ of glass smashing against each other, "Sorry! I didn't mean to say that and I will never say it again! _Please _don't put me into the Protection!"

_Ah, so that's why she was nervous the entire day. And here I thought she made a mistake with_ _Schwertkreuz's maintenance._

While it would be amusing to keep Shari on her toes for the entire day, the thought of the bought items tearing through a whole crowd of people was not. The edge of her lips rose just slightly as she closed in carefully to grab the panicking woman, "Shari, calm down. You're scaring the kids."

"Wha – oh." As if on cue, nearby a boy began to cry loudly as his parents immediately worked on calming down the child while staring disapprovingly at the flustered engineer. She bowed down hastily and apologized once more, but this time careful to keep still without any movement. The family merely smiled in easy forgiveness before walking away, and soon this little incident was forgotten to the past. Time as usual, does not spare even the slightest of patience for life.

_Something… feels…_

Hayate folded her arms thoughtfully and resumed walking, her assistant suddenly forgotten by a new injection of ideas. Everywhere she looked people were trading, chatting, advertising, eating or huddled up in groups harmoniously making the best out of their time. Upwards crows flew from store to store snooping for a meal, and for some reason she was reminded of leaping frogs, but with wings to propel them instead of legs. The thought was bordering on disturbing; it only served to sprout all sorts of abominable shapes and colors in her mind that she would rather forget. But it shouldn't. Fantasies and dreams make people curious and eager for more, not the other way around unless they were nightmares –

Abruptly she pointed at the nearest pork stall and said, "I'll go there and buy some meat. Be back real quick," Without waiting even for a reply Hayate left Shari behind and ran, feeling a little guilty as the poor girl got swallowed again by the massive tide of people, but there was something she needed to check for and confirm. Her feet did not tire even though they have been shopping since eight thanks to Nanoha's severe training and her own daily exercise. Weaving through people like the wind was _exhilarating_, and within seconds she made it in front of the young butcher, breathless. The sweat laden man looked at her expectantly, and Hayate took a second to recompose her thoughts.

"Good morning," she greeted somewhat awkwardly. The pig butcher looked lively as fish though.

"Ah, Hayate. Good morning. What's your order?"

She pouted, "Ceh, always so serious; you'll never get a girlfriend at this rate… Oh well, please give me four legs, one kilo of ribs, and all of them fat trimmed, thank you."

The guy didn't even flinch as he shot Hayate with the usual frown and got to work, "You're welcome. Please wait a few minutes," She stood by and watched intensely at the flying bits of meat. If she imagined strongly they might even resemble popcorn, exploding in a shower of red instead of yellow. Behind her the train of men brushed past her back in an orderly but fluid fashion, a revelation gained from glancing sideways to avoid looking at the butcher's handiwork. Time of course, passed by just as quick and before she knew it, the bags were placed neatly on the table.

"That will be twenty three, please."

"I don't supposed you could give me them free eh, Cato?" Hayate tilted her head and pressed her palm together with a playful smile. Of course it was a joke; Hayate has been around this neighborhood for so many years that she knew every seller in the market, and they in turn loved this bright brunette who never failed to soften the wrinkles in their heart. It was rumored that she was the only customer the infamous stiff-faced Cato would even bother conversing to things other than business.

"Sure. There you go," He handed her the bag.

"… Heh?" _Am I hearing right? _Hayate scratched her head before laughing a little forcefully, "Oh! Good one Cato, you totally caught me there."

He shot her an irritated look, "I don't joke. Take it."

"Bu – But!" Now she was blabbering; somewhere in Mid-Childa it must be raining bricks! Cato _never _haggles; the young man once told her _very _bluntly that his customers could either take his price – bordering on robbing, although his goods are the best – or they could fuck off somewhere else where he couldn't see. That being said, he of course _never _sold for free, "You're _giving_ me this? For real?"

"Yeah, it's just like usual isn't it?" Scowling, he shooed her away with a wave of hand, and like a spirit Hayate drifted further and further away from the butcher's stall, utterly and completely dazed. That bizarre exchange was _anything_ but usual, but her butcher friend had replied otherwise without the slightest hesitation.

_Did I mistake him for someone? No._

_Did I remember wrongly then? I don't think so._

_If so, then why… did he think it was 'like usual'?_

"… Commander? Hello?"

Hayate snapped out of her muddle thoughts and looked upwards. Before she knew it Shari was standing right beside her and frowning with worry, "Is there something wrong?"

"Ah, no," Hayate quickly shook her head and gave her friend a reassuring smile, "It's nothing. Let's get going."

"Okay…?"

Suspicion hugged obstinately onto the engineer, but she knew better than to question her superior. And so they walked away from the market in high spirits; a noisy duo among hundreds of others until they finally reached the car and drove away. Hayate did not look into the rear-view mirror.

_Just my imagination._

* * *

><p>Life is like an empty hallway. Sometimes there would be doors aligned to either sides of the blank walls where people was given the choice to open them or ignore, then dwell within or leave them for more. These doors are called chances, and the majority of people could only wait for them to emerge.<p>

Hayate was among the minority who seek for those chances. Humble as usual, the brunette often laughed off the praises and admiration showered under her feet from friends, families, strangers, and even enemies. The commander had no shortage of proud moments, but she never did believe herself to be special either. From her view, every single one of her achievements – from counting math to saving worlds – were hard fought, hard earned, and that there was someone out there who could do much better.

... It's not as if Hayate didn't notice that despite all of her protests, she really _is_ the only one to have achieved such results at her age; just as Nanoha's reputation as one of the strongest combat mage in TSAB's history. Or Fate's, the Artificial Mage whose strength and strict sense of justice rivaled only by her love for her spouse. It was an infamous joke well known even among the greenest of recruits, and Hayate did not deny not having a hand in it. Verossa once told her half-drunk that the three of them were the greatest ray of hope ever to shine on this world, and that he firmly believed that they will bring true peace and happiness for everyone. When the brunette had dismissed his statements as utter nonsense, the inspector mumbled out that Chrono believed the same thing as well.

He's dead now, and Fate was still missing. The burden on her shoulders had only grown heavier, but she absolutely cannot break until after Grey Christmas. No, not even then, rest must come only after things have settled down enough to be called normal again…

_Knock knock._ Hayate didn't wait for a response before pushing the door forwards and entering the white room. What she did not expect was a solid _thump_ reverberating through the door's metal to her hand and a painful _oomph_ below her feet. The brunette quickly pulled back the door and leaped inside, revealing the source of the noise to be a messy tangle of red hair and a Barrier Jacket looked fried enough to wither at the tiniest touch. A look into the deeper parts of the room revealed a floor of bodies burned in the exact same manner. She took a second to arrange her thoughts. Yes, she ordered the Protection Training to be done. Yes, she knew they might end up fainted like her that day. No, she had not for a moment remembered ordering anything remotely close to roasting her men alive. Okay.

"Reunion, what's the meaning of this?"

Her tone was quiet and calm, and yet the underlying implication held nothing but deadliness. She had entrusted the kid to train her soldiers, not to grind them down until they looked worse than a rat. Walled in like a fortress by rows of stacked DVDs was a single boy, looking entirely engrossed with his gaming console and simply careless of the carnage surrounding him. Curt and impatient he replied, "Exactly as what you told me to do. Now leave me alone; this freaking Ansem the Darkness is hard enough to beat without you here –"

Without a word Hayate snatched the console away and from those thin fingers and switched it off. "Hey!" the boy bolted upwards and yelled angrily, "What's your damn problem? I didn't _do_ anything wrong this time!"

The brunette resisted the urge to rub her forehead for the umpteenth times of the week and instead pointed, "Really? Should I call Agito here to change your mind?"

Reunion waved his hand in denial, "It's really not me! Erio over there – " the boy jabbed a finger towards the door, "lost control of his magic at the beginning, and if I didn't trick his mind into turning it off things would've been worse, so this," he swept a hand over the disastrous scene before him, "is _not_ my doing. Get it?"

Hayate rubbed her forehead furiously. If she was going to die of a terrible migraine anyway she might as well be comfortable, "_Fine_. Anyway, let's get out of here, there's something I want to discuss with you in private –"

"I can't leave." The boy said simply and sat back on the floor, restarting his game. The console has somehow magically made its way back to his hands, but Hayate wasn't concerned about it at the moment. Her eyes narrowed, "And why is that?"

"Because the training isn't over yet."

It took a while for the revelation to settle in. It took a second longer for disbelief and anger to waltz into the room. It would later take almost a month for her to feel grudgingly impressed, but at the moment explosion would be an apt description of her current feelings, "_What_? You mean – It's been one full day since they've started! They're injured!"

"Their physical condition would not affect their minds – _Aaah! – _and vice versa. That little lightning show before was – _Teiya! Take that! – _admittedly worrying, but I could sense nothing wrong for now. The training continues."

The weird noises garbled into Reunion's reply did nothing to appease Hayate. Coolness crept into her voice as her staff slid deftly into her palm, a fact she openly displayed to the boy, "Look, I really don't want to spank you in public, but if you so insist –"

Reunion looked upwards, and to her surprise it was an expression of total seriousness, "Hayate, if I stop now the link will not be established, and their minds will_ not_ recover in two months. Maybe not even in a year. A scar can be treated, but a heart's wound can only be overcome," he pointed a finger directly at Hayate's face without a care of possible retribution, "And sometimes there are wounds even time could not heal. You _know _the consequences. We cannot stop now."

Hayate did not speak, processing the sudden volume of information as steadily as she would chew on her meal. Discipline was a fundamental the brunette had learned since she was a child, and despite the harshness of his words it was actually a rather easy fact to swallow. She just didn't like it that her comrades – her _friends _– had to suffer through the same pain she experienced, the indescribable feeling of having someone literally toying with your mind.

But she already knew vaguely about the consequences when she planned out the Protection Training, so why was she hesitating now?

"… Believe in your friends, Hayate. You gave them full warning, but they came here anyway."

Hayate felt a little dismay. Right now, Reunion actually had more faith than her. Her gaze fell firmly on her friends, passing from one face to another. They certainly do not look the faces of defeat.

She should go. Slowly she turned and made her way towards the door, then paused as if forgetting,

"Guess what I'm going to put in your dinner tonight, brat?"

The door shut tight before the boy's panicked reply could reach, and she felt herself smiling just a little lighter.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Reminiscence Ended.]<em>**

* * *

><p><strong><em>[REIN]<em>**

My mistress is a very good person. She worked eighteen hours a day even though our unit is in a state of lockdown, which means there's not much that she could do except optimization and planning, endlessly so. Among these eighteen hours my mistress would train with Nanoha for three, sometimes with me and sometimes alone, but Nanoha wasn't always free. This boredom of course translated into more pranks, and thus my mistress broke her own 'most pranks of the year' record. The overall efficiency and mobility of SSD6 have increased by an unbelievable three hundred percent rate, but so did the amount of employees begging before my tiny table to do something – _anything_, such as locking her up in a closet – about the commander. I must have broken my own record of the amount of helpless apologies done in behalf of my mistress.

None of them ever considered quitting though, and she could always convert the result of her pranks to be something positive. Mistress – no, _Hayate_ is a truly amazing person. My memories of the distant past were ultimately fuzzy, but I believe that the Wolkenritters, the ones who had lived over a thousand lifetimes would agree the same. I have never seen anyone else who could smile as brightly and truthfully – save for Nanoha, whose smile was the one that _saved_ my mistress – and that too, for someone else. I feel sad just thinking about it. She wants it just as badly as everyone else, but why does she feel undeserved of happiness? Why does she always overwork herself until she look paler than a ghost?

If I had to pull at her hair every day to make her stop, I will. Hayate was rather worried she would become bald by the end of the year, but I don't care about that; she could always regrow them with magic. Anything to make her rest. Anything to make her enjoy life and feel happier.

For this reason alone I felt justified to glare between Carim and Lutecia inches away from their faces as they try their best to ignore me. Okay, they're not, I feel like air as Carim sipped her English tea so easily and was totally oblivious to my demonic (far from) aura of hostility, and I almost died when Lutecia grabbed me tightly with both hands and rubbed her face against my body. I'm a very important and very delicate Device, so don't! Argh… I give up.

Hayate was working hard at usual; this time in the kitchen instead of the headquarters. There were four extra mouths to feed tonight, and that meant extra work for my mistress, but luckily Shamal was there to help her. Well, I could still remember those horrendous days when she used me as her food taster, but she has improved a lot since then. At least it no longer burns my tongue for days… Maybe I should just check on her later, just to be sure. Right now though, I _really_ need to get out of this – grip – Uu, stop pressing your breasts against me, I can't breathe!

* * *

><p><strong><em>[SIGNUM]<em>**

Lutecia Alpine. A S-ranked summoner mage and civilian collaborator of the TSAB. Also known as the Little Fox and 'heir' to Hayate's undying legacy, or so her mistress claimed on a drinking party best forgotten. Rein's squashed face was not a rare sight to see, but that doesn't mean it wasn't challenging to reign in a smile, and I didn't bother to do so. I somewhat recall from past conversations with Hayate that this was called… bonding? At any rate, Rein definitely needs to spend more time with our friends; as of late she has been working for long hours without breaks, and the pressure made her cranky and pretty much turned her into something akin to a time bomb. I understand her intentions to stay by Hayate's side as much as possible, but then again our mistress' lifestyle isn't something anyone should emulate. You would think that she's fighting a war… Perhaps she is.

But there is something wrong with Hayate, something really wrong. I haven't had the time to ask her, but that one morning I had to wake her –

"– Signum? You okay?" Agito's face bobbed into view, fiery red eyes gazing somewhat worryingly into mine. My mind must've wandered a little too far, and I have to angle my head a little to avoid blowing air into her face, "Yes. Thanks for your concern."

The fire sprite puffed her red cheeks and looked away embarrassedly, and with a little smile I raised a hand for Agito to land and place her safely on my shoulders. She could sometimes be noisy and aggressive, but I knew very well that her heart was forged of gold. There would be no better person to be my partner.

And all the while, Carim Gracia of the Saint Church was staring at me; a patient, merciless predator that I could no longer pretend not to notice. Her attention was troubling at least, for the answers she seeks do not lie with me, "Do you have something to ask, Carim?"

She didn't reply immediately, but instead lower her gaze and brought her tea close to sip. Ever since her magic failed the sister has been held with scorn and disgrace, but those clear grey eyes though told me enough that wounded or no she was still a knight,

"I do. But first, do forgive me for my rudeness."

Yes, but the underlying meaning of her apology was all too clear. Fair enough; that ever present politeness – honest politeness was something I respect her deeply for among other things. So I replied back solemnly, "You are too kind. So, what is it you're worried about?"

Not coincidentally, Lutecia turned up the TV's volume, and our conversation was muffled enough not to be heard by those in the kitchen. The reporter's voice buzzed incessantly on the upcoming Christmas, warning all worlds to stay away from Mid-Childa. At first it was just Cranagan, but after she came back from Chrono's house my Mistress changed her mind to announce that the entire Mid-Childa was in danger. It was one of the many pieces of groundwork laid down by Hayate to minimize casualties during Grey Christmas, but this seemingly harmless broadcast cost the trust of almost every major business in this city and killed whatever's left of the dwindling support my mistress has within the military. Everything she worked so hard to build up and maintain after all these years, destroyed within a single fortnight. It was ridiculous.

"You did nothing."

I flinched. Had it been a lightning strike I would have fared better, but those three words alone punched right through my throat like a cannon as I find myself unable to contradict. Instantly the surrounding atmosphere stiffened up like a blade, and yet Carim spoke so casually one would think she was just complimenting a lily,

"Ten years I have known Hayate, and despite all her skill and talents and leadership she was still the reckless idiot who would care more for a lost cat than herself. That her chosen career would sustain her dreams for a happy world really was a gift from god… which she now threw away like thrash."

The cup slammed down hard on the floral-patterned tea plate, and I almost jumped from my seat. Shame overflowed like bile on my lips, but the only thing I could do was to endure. So intense was her cold fury that not even Agito could come up with a retort, and the silence had persisted until Nanoha announced with an unnatural cheer that she and Vivio would be helping out in the kitchen. It would be lying to say that part of me did not wish to scurry away just like them, but my pride and honor would not allow it. Running away was never in my blood.

"It's not as if the miraculous balance she so painstakingly maintained wouldn't fall out one day; they always do. But to sacrifice so much for a mere possibility – tell me, Signum. Did she find conclusive evidence of a second recurrence?"

"… I do not know."

"Did you know _any_ reason at all that would convince her to take such drastic actions?"

_She stood atop an unmoving body with the tip of her weapon pressed firmly against its neck. Otherworldly it is to see her mocking a fallen opponent, but the loser of the battle was none other than her friend. Her best friend. _My _family. Mad anger stampeded over twenty years of friendship easily as I rushed forwards for the blood, and yet those eyes, those steely, shattered eyes so lost and frightened they stopped me dead in my tracks –_

Terrible memories surfaced from the depths of my mind, and I snuffed it out as swiftly as I would swing a blade. Not here, "I – do not know either."

"I see," Carim continued on oblivious to the inner turmoil battling in my heart, "So unless Hayate has some sort of secret plan that would somehow fix everything back like magic, I could safely say that one part of her life is a total disaster. And still you did _nothing_."

"That's enough. Signum has her own reasons," A calm voice cut through the stifling air like hot knife through butter, and for a panicking second I thought that Hayate had overheard our conversation. Imagine my surprise when I saw that is was Rein who had spoken up for me, and there was a twinkle of maturity in her eyes that I never knew before. Her silent but undeniable presence stood like a wall behind my back whereas once I was her model of conduct. Since when has she grown so strong? No, how foolish am I to have thought that. Why did I never notice her growth?

"… As you say, Rein. I should not have said such unsavory things on a happy day," Nonchalantly Carim poured a new cup of tea and pushed it up to my front, "Would you accept my apology, Signum?"

"_Oi_, that's going too far you bloody –" Agito finally recovered from shock and was about to explode in anger, but Rein shot her a warning look so severe that it shut her up completely. Precious seconds trickled by relentlessly without a care, and yet all I could do was to stare at the rising vapor with a mind as blank as paper. Too many times my Mistress was hurt. Too many times I have failed to counsel her when the chance was presented. Have I really failed my duty? Have I really failed Hayate?

Abruptly I felt tingles against my leg, and I looked downwards to see the mighty guardian beast stretching his back mightily before setting his body directly under my feet. Proud eyes glared unyieldingly towards Carim, and suddenly I remembered something important. Something buried so deeply into the passages of time that I almost forget.

I _am_ the leader of the Wolkenritter. It has been too long since I last assumed that role, but I still am.

"… It would seem that I've gotten soft over the years," I paused slightly to curl a finger over the cup handle, watching the tea's black surface vibrating in circles, "To hesitate, worry, panic… But still, this doesn't feel too wrong, really. Just being a human."

No more hesitation. I picked up the cup deftly and drank it all in one go. Beside me Lutecia gasped audibly before catching herself, and I couldn't help but wonder: did she understand the significance of my actions? No, it doesn't really matter; the only one who needs to understand this is _me_. I met Carim's baleful stare fearlessly and said, "I have no excuses; I should have talked to Hayate about my doubts. But I will not stop her."

"Why?" she asked simply.

"Because Hayate decided this with her own free will. Because Hayate did not betray her own dreams. Because I believe in her, my eternal mistress… and _family_."

And that was my answer; to believe in not only my Mistress but also myself. Should one day I come to betray my own conviction…

"If I find that you broke your word, I _will_ cut you down without hesitation," Carim threatened ominously. It was exactly what I had expected to hear; the offering of mercy to a fallen knight. She really was Hayate's best friend.

"As you wish."

That would be the day I die.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[VITA]<em>**

Fuck.

Fuck, I can't believe it, I did it again. It had to be a mistake. Thank god Shamal went for the toilet, or I'll never be able to live this down. My neck was stiff as rock as I stared straight ahead imagining a couple pairs of pitying eyes boring dreadful disappointment into my back. This has to be a dream; a fucked up nightmare. As expected, Hayate's voice was the first to ring,

"Vita… You…"

Boiling oil crackled loudly within the frying pan, but the growing disbelief in her voice was transparent enough. Inevitably I was reminded of _that_ day, but almost immediately I chided myself for being foolish before turning around with a shaky laughter, "Ha, haha, it's no good isn't it? Sorry… Er, I'll go out and take some fresh air…" Right now, I can't bear to stay here for even a second longer –

I felt a firm hand caught my wrist. The familiar warmth and smooth touch of a skin could only be Hayate's, but my head was filled with so much stupid frustration I really couldn't turn around to face her. I don't want to, not after another failure, not in front of Nanoha and Vivio. It would seem that this choking shame will stay lodged in my throat for a very long time –

"Vita."

"… What, is it?" It took considerable control to silence the tears in my voice. Just what would Hayate have me do, wave the other two along to laugh at me? Of course I know that the brunette would never do that, but negativity was just something I could not get out of my mind now no matter what.

"Vita, look at me."

My neck arched involuntarily, reflexively, and by then it was already too late. Those clear blue eyes caught me perfectly, and there was no way I could have looked away, not when Hayate looked as serious as an executioner. I _have _to tough it out as I always do; pity is the last thing I wanted from anyone at all, so I held her stare concretely while feeling butterflies in my stomach. This feeling really sucks.

"… It's _good_."

Huh? For a second there, I couldn't understand the meaning of her words. Then, unable to hold back silence any longer, Vivio suddenly leaped forwards to grab both my hands, laughing happily, "The fish tastes really, _really_ good, Aunt Vita! It's as good as Mama's cooking!"

There must be something wrong with my ears. I know that we're getting more human each day, but I never thought that my hearing would age _that_ fast. The total bewilderment did not leave but wrapped around me tighter when Nanoha joined in the fray and said with a vivid smile, "Vivio is right. Congratulations!"

Words were beyond me. The ridiculous stutter in my voice wouldn't leave even as I pointed a timid finger at that stupid looking fish I fried, "Y – You mean _this…?_"

"Seriously, Vita. Don't you taste you own cooking first? Why do you look so surprised?" Hayate joined in half-exasperatedly as she pulled a lock of hair behind her ears, smiling. None of it did anything good except to escalate the raw redness burning in my cheek as I tried to answer,

"I did, b – but I… I wasn't confident."

Ah, that I'm not. Before the days I – _we _met Hayate, warmth was hardly important and a foreign feeling we scarcely knew. Every day was just another war; every war was just something to survive through. I am a Belkan knight, I am a Wolkenritter, and I am the Knight of the Iron Hammer. My strength is abominable, and I specialize at charging right into the front and plowing through the bodies of my enemies like they were flies. That was why to the others be it allies or foes, friends or enemies, master or servant, I was most commonly known as the Destroyer. There was nothing in this world me and Graf Eisen could not destroy.

… There was also everything in this world I couldn't help but destroy. Creating things, now… That was a concept too far and foreign for me. Protecting was hard enough.

Suddenly I felt warmth patting the top of my head. Looking upwards, I saw Hayate smiling like the sun and said, "You did well, Vita. I'm really proud."

The heat on my face rose to an impossible degree. Was there ever a case of people getting nosebleeds from embarrassment?

Then a second hand landed playfully while ruffling my hair. Nanoha grinned down innocently while saying, "Aren't you glad, Vita? Hayate _approved_ your cooking! We should celebrate today every year!"

Vivio looked at her mama, then Hayate, then at Nanoha again. A devious smirk popped on to her face, and she immediately embraced me in a stifling bear hug and yelled out cheerfully, "Wai – Aunt – Vita – can – cook –"

I tried summoning the absolute obedience as if I'm on duty, I really did. But really… Why bother?

"_Just what the hell do you think you're doing? Eat this Nantoka! Eisen!"_

"Uwa! Why me? And you called my name wrong on purpose! Waaaaaa!"

Yeah… I'm no longer my past.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[SHAMAL]<em>**

Our home was neither overly huge nor impersonal that one would feel lonely on an empty day. For starters, Hayate wouldn't allow any one of our rooms to be void of decorations, and if the family member didn't feel particularly motivated to increase some personal belongings she would bring in a couple of her own choice items. That included a glass-cased metal gauntlet, a _katana_, bunny dolls, books, framed pictures, matches, lighters, super huge needles (Where does she get this stuff? Not that I'm complaining)… The latest addition would be twelve sets of different-sized mirrors hanged on every corner of Reunion's room, with the largest one placed directly on the ceiling. It was of course another childish joke by Hayate, but when Reunion declared later with a huge smile that they were the best gifts he'd ever received in his life, Hayate had no choice but to leave them – after urging me to perform an entire week's of psychiatric examination on Reunion to find nothing wrong with his brain.

The child was extremely peculiar – if not _dangerous_ – but even I could see that he has a good heart. His very presence has given life to Hayate; something only a child can do and uplift the spirit. He also turned her from a twenty six years old adult into a naughty teenager with the mentality of a five years old _and_ a fuse shorter than an old man's. In short, the two of them together meant the apocalypse.

It was something I couldn't do.

But if it's mean drawing Hayate's enmity like a super magnet then I'd rather pass. There was not a single day they aren't fighting each other, and we had learned to stay out and far away when it happened, especially since that one day Agito butted in their argument and got herself – er, was there even a right word to describe it? – _violated_ thoroughly. Suffice to say her fiery ego was never so shiny again, and you could see a chill running down her spine whenever they stared meaningfully at her.

Sometimes – although rarely – their playful little scuffle would result in injuries, and so they would come to me. There were two versions: It was either Hayate fussing worriedly like a mother hen or Reunion mouthing something tough with his eyes looking guiltily sideways. And as a matter of course, I would start reprimanding them for getting themselves hurt, shush them up before they could argue again, and see them out goodbye. The pattern has repeated itself so often I found myself staying in the infirmary for an extended time waiting for them to drop by, and honestly it didn't sit well with me. In a way, I was expecting them to get hurt, and I don't want that… But if I'm not there then who else could they turn to? Someone else of course, another medic, another healer…

"Shamal, can you hand over the blue towel over there?" Hayate poked a finger to my left, her hands currently occupied by bubbles and water. I peered over the open tap to watch closely at her rough, shriveled fingers and imagined those thin but dreadful scars hidden under long sleeves. There would be more snaking down the length of her spine, deeper wounds that could not be healed perfectly within the day as a direct result from her training, all for the sake of walking into a death trap, not knowing whether she'll live to see another day. This was _not_ the life we had intended for our mistress at all, but we could not change her mind.

Suffocation wrapped around my neck like a python, and for a second there I found myself unable to breathe down the spiking pain that was pounding in my chest. I quickly handed over the towel while praying hard for Hayate to notice nothing amiss, "Here."

This pretentious hope of mine didn't even last a second. Right after Hayate took the cloth the gentle thanks floating across her lips changed dramatically into a worried frown, and shamelessly I felt a swell of happiness bursting from my lungs. I could swear with all my heart that all I wanted was Hayate to be happy, but whenever she was worried and concerned about my affairs I couldn't help but feel so _relieved_, even if all I did was to add into her troubles. I felt so sinful.

"What is it, Shamal? You don't look too… well," Hayate asked.

"Nothing much," It is you big _liar_, "Just thinking. Is your back still itchy?"

"Of course," Hayate smiled wryly, "But they're bearable. Sorry to make you worried again."

_Sorry_. It felt like a smack on the face, to write off my feelings for the past _months_ with just one word. I was selfish, I know I am, which was why I couldn't hold myself back and exclaimed tremblingly, "Hayate, you've been saying that a lot lately. You say that after something has happened, and you say them _before_ too… Don't."

She stood there petrified with a stunned look on her face. All the sudden I was afraid – did I overstep my bounds? Did I hurt her feelings? I didn't mean to, but! It seemed unreal that the running water did not freeze from the sheer drop of temperature inflicting my heart. The uproar of cheers and chatter outside felt like merciless blades cutting through my body.

Hayate looked up to the ceiling, "… Sorry."

So my words weren't enough. I never was, "No… I shouldn't have said that."

We went back to washing in silence. Bitter tears threatened to drop, but I held them back with all my strength. They were useful only for myself, alone, inside a dark room where no one could see. I was about to run away right after the chores were done when her pure voice caught me,

"Shamal."

"… Yes?"

"Actually," she scratched her head with a sigh, "I need you to transfer _Destiny_ out of this city. Somewhere safe until everything is over."

Whatever's on my mind up till that point was dashed away like the wind; I would have gladly accepted a mirror at that moment just to see my own brain click, but that was beside the point, "Destiny… _Destiny_? You've found her?"

She smiled in reply, "You could say that. The one who did all the hard work was _her_ though."

Her? "You mean –"

"Yes, who else? I'm not surprised; her expression was a lot more cheerful lately. Though I couldn't say the same for those who tried to sniff out her trail…" Hayate replied laughingly while her eyes urged not to say the name, not even through telepathy. It was common practice ever since the JS incident.

This gesture however raised more questions. I asked hesitantly, "Why are you telling me this now? There are better places…"

Hayate did not say a thing. As if missing my words she rinsed dry the wet cloth and hanged it neatly on a hook; her movements no longer playful like the past but imbued with more purpose, strength, and… _age_. It was a hard fact to accept that the girl whose innocence saved us was fading away, little by little.

"Shamal," she said suddenly, "Will you always stand by me, no matter what?"

"Of course," I answered without hesitation. Hell could rain for all I care, but that was my one conviction that will never, ever change.

"That's why," Hayate looked at me and smiled one last time, a dazzling smile so bright and warm I forgot to breathe,

"_Thank you._"

* * *

><p><strong><em>[ZAFIRA]<em>**

Reunion's late. The kid has a long streak of wickedness, but punctuality was something he abided strictly and without fault. Dinner especially, was something he had never missed ever since he came into the family.

It was now two past eleven. A time far too long not to worry about. I have thought that Mistress would know, but a brief but _worried_ telepathic conversation had otherwise confirmed my duties. Luckily she knew the where and why, and so I stretched my back lightly, bid goodbye and hopped away into the silent night. Cutting winds combed soothingly over my body and the moon an astounding cycle of white, but unfortunately leisure was not a luxury I could afford at the moment. My eyes fell briefly on the well-wrapped lunchbox hanging below my mouth. Obviously Mistress did consider that Connection might have met poor progress thus keeping the kid away from home, but that didn't even faze her from cackling like an evil witch,

"_I don't care whether that brat's playing, groping, dying or whatever, but make a hundred percent _sure _that he finishes dinner, Zafira. If he refuses I give you permission to shove it up his mouth."_

"_Hayate, that's a little…"_

"_Nanoha, you don't understand; he's _nothing_ like Vivio! The day he even acts _obedient _would be end of the world – C'mere Vi, your aunt needs some _love_~"_

… I wonder if Mistress drugged this food or something. Considering that good bond between the two of them meant quarrelling like cats and dogs, I can't say that there wasn't a possibility. Just in case, I carefully lowered the hanging plastic just a little so that whatever poison in it wouldn't accidentally slip down my throat. Once I had the 'privilege' and 'honor' to taste Shamal's food, and the resulting misery on my body was a memory I would never forget. It was _not _an exaggeration when I said that I saw a glimpse of heaven, but everyone just laughed it off – except Shamal of course – thinking that I've finally acquired a sense of humor. Exactly what's so funny about near death experiences?

"All that grumbling, but in the end you still brought me Hayate's poison cooking, didn't you?"

Instantly I pulled away from the inner depths of my thoughts and looked around, and the murky rooftops of the night faded away to cast light upon an enormous white room. Delicious bits of meat rolled satisfyingly within my mouth, and there was a fragrant aroma dancing in the air that could only be Mistress' homemade sakura-flavored biscuits. I spent a second to convert the swirling confusion into dawning recognition, and then I just clawed at the general direction of the voice before the burning annoyance in my heart even ignited,

"Dammit, Reunion! I told you a million times never to fool around with my senses!"

"You survived Shamal's cooking," the boy declared flatly from directly opposite where the voice had come from, "You'll survive whatever poison that idiot put in my food, if there's any. In fact you should be grateful that I shared you my dinner."

I growled, but did not answer. Verbal arguments were never my fortitude, and I doubt that I could touch him even if I speared the entire room with Steel Yoke. Instead my eyes fell tersely over the crowd of fainted people as I asked,

"How bad is it?"

"No sleep for me tonight. They'll never achieve Hayate's level of control, but by the end of this training everyone should be able to communicate somewhat over the 'link'," Reunion munched ravenously into a chicken wing while speaking.

Somewhat, huh. I understood why only too perfectly well. The inhumane screams piercing deeper than a needle, mad thrashings and convulsions so wild she could've torn off her limbs from restraint; on that day, that day my Mistress just suddenly _fell_ –

A warm, little hand grabbed my foreleg firmly, but I did not respond to the gesture. It took all of my control not to obey my primal instincts and tear apart the culprit who brought immeasurable torment to my mistress. The kid obviously knew, but he stupidly stuck his face closer until our foreheads almost touched. What the hell is he doing? If he gets any closer I might just –

"I'm sorry."

Eyes as black as death stared chillingly into my eyes, hiding within an abandonment and despair too deep for light to ever reach. His age, his innocence, his belief, his _heart _– all of them meant _nothing_ before a magic so pure it could only be eternal, a life so ravished that even light could only be golden darkness. Even then Reunion had not let go, had accepted tirelessly the repulsion and fear from me towards him, burning within his heart a regretful voice that could only be sincere,

"_I'm sorry."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[HAYATE]<em>**

Hayate woke up, disorientated to feel her mouth half open and two arms suspended in midair. Blinking away the drowsiness, she allowed the pull of gravity to send her arms crashing on to the bed, gasping. Already she pursed close her lips to muffle the growls that tried to escape, all the while straining to stand and reach for the bathroom. To say that the brunette was drenched in sweat would be an understatement; her clothes were so soaked it might as well be raining inside her room. _So thirsty._ But try as she might the world twirled around once, twice, and then Hayate found herself hurled back into bed with not enough strength to lift even a tiny finger. The world spun madly, erratically, angling in so many ways that she could only close her eyes and hope for comfort, but even the darkness was shifting.

"_I thought I said to take it easy."_

His was a voice too abstract to be real, yet so perfectly clear it was impossible not to understand. It may be only a week since she has forged a new contract with Reunion, but Hayate got a feeling that she would never get used to the Heart Seeker's call. Tiredly she muttered,

"I know."

"_Stop pushing yourself so hard then. You might be the fastest person I've ever seen to exercise the contract, but it is impossible to master it in such a short time."_

"I know. Now be quiet and let me sleep," the brunette tried a roll to her flank and almost flailed as her senses emulated the equivalent of a running washing machine. Sleep was drifting further and further away, but staying awake was ten times worse. True oblivion finally came as she felt a comfortable web of fatigue binding her body, but even then she could hear him whispering,

"_Why do you go so far? It's not like I don't understand, but... just why?"_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Reminiscence Begin.]<em>**

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Y<em>_ear 0082 month 7 day 20 0914]_**

* * *

><p>"I have something to show you, Hayate."<p>

Such was the boy's first greeting of the day when he caught her trying to sneak back into her room. Her knights were predictably prowling the corridors and ceilings and windows and basically every inch of the house waiting for her return, and that was precisely what Hayate had wanted to avoid. It was somewhat an established routine for the Wolkenritters to squeeze out all the painful details of her nights with Yuuno, gear up, and then confront her poor boyfriend with threats deadlier than the end of the world. Okay, it was just Vita and Rein, but as of late Shamal got more and more protective of her, and even Signum joined in the total madness – later admitting without the slightest remorse that it was fun to see the two of them squirm.

So she needed to hide inside the sanctuary that is her room where the Wolkenritters, out of respect, would never enter without permission, but the kid was now blocking right in front of the door. Hayate waved one hand fiercely for him to move away while whispering, "Shh! Later!"

Unexpectedly, Reunion gave way easily and walked away without a word. In her haste the brunette almost missed the grim, yet relieved look on his face as his retreating back disappeared around a corner, and felt a twinge of doubt. Something was wrong, she could see. Something serious. Perhaps she should go after him?

Then a terrible weight fell greatly upon her shoulder, and a cool voice she knew way too well rang from behind, "Ah, good morning Mistress. We have been expecting you."

_Oh no. _"Ah, ahaha, do you mind letting go, Signum? I need a change of clothes…" Hayate laughed nervously as she plied unsuccessfully at the knight's iron grip.

"A change of clothes? Splendid, I'm sure the others would love to see some concrete evidence," Signum replied calmly.

"_Evidence_?" Hayate choked at the word as she struggled even harder against the hold, but the moment she was caught it was already too late. As Signum marched the brunette right into the living room, humming a tune all the way that could only be happy,

"I don't – I mean – Signum, you traitor! – _Noooooooooo!_"

* * *

><p>It was night. Dinner today was extremely lively at her soul's expense, but Hayate understood that her family was still jarred by the recent incidents. If anyone was at fault it would be herself. Still, things would've been much easier Yuuno would just marry her… and so she thought gloomily about the future as she bid everyone good night and made for the stairs. The grueling morning had worn her out much more than expected.<p>

But sleep could come later. Instead of returning into her room, Hayate took a turn and paused thoughtfully in front of a door, then knocked, "Reunion, can I come in?"

The boy sounded surprised as he answered from within, "Eh… Ah, sure. I didn't lock."

Hayate turned the doorknob tentatively and pushed open the wooden door. Abruptly darkness blackened the center of her vision, and she had to squint just to barely make out the outline of his figure huddled in close and small on the bed. Unsure of what to do, Hayate closed the door behind her and waited for her eyes to familiarize with the dark. She did not turn on the lights.

Silence lingered stiffly like a shield of needles, so Hayate took the initiative and broke the ice, "You said you have something to show me."

It took a long while before he answered, or maybe it was the lack of light that distorted her sense of time, "… I guess. You have one chance to back down."

"Show me," she replied back firmly. Reunion nodded twice sharply as if decided and jumped off the bed, striding towards her.

He began talking, "What I'm going to show you is a memory. A message meant to be passed down to a certain someone."

Hayate swallowed a breath; whatever that memory was it could only be bad news. She deduced carefully, "Judging from your tone, that someone isn't me. True?"

"No, not you," Reunion confirmed her suspicions before continuing, "There is a condition. Should Grey Christmas happen, I will pass down this message to her double no matter what the circumstances. Or else, I will destroy the message as there is no need of it," he paused a while before adding in, "She did not forbid me from telling someone else the message, however."

The knots in Hayate's mind connected, and the thunderous implication that followed jolted the brunette into complete stillness. _Can it be?_ Her mind thought disbelievingly, and yet her heart prayed with all its strength to be true. _No, it must be._ Her voice was barely above a whisper as she asked timidly, frightfully, hopefully,

"Reunion, could this_ possibly_ be…?"

"Ah," the boy whispered softly with a tone filled with regret and melancholy, "Her last words before she confronted the enemy. Nanoha's."

* * *

><p>"<em>Eh toh, hello? Testing one, two three four? Key, are you getting this?"<em>

_Hayate stood dizzily within the globe of utter darkness, her knees wobbly from shock and her hands just trembling like a wind-blown leaf, and yet her eyes never averted the slightest from the pale, fumbling Nanoha who was trying to confirm the recording. The familiar blue white uniform, the soft brown hair, the dancing violet in her eyes and even that old black ribbon that symbolized her bond with Fate – they brought back such maddening tides of emotions she had thought to forget. Such as the bitterness and misery of that day, the absolute helplessness and despair of doing nothing, past joy, sadness, pain, happiness –_

"_So… Hello," Nanoha smiled gently without the slightest hint of awkwardness before, "Nanoha. Are you faring well? How is Fate and Vivio? No matter, I'm sure you're doing a good job protecting them from harm. I'm sure you'll make them happy."_

_Suddenly she dropped her head and said sadly, "No. No. I'm being selfish again. Even if you share my memories, you are still you. We are one, and yet not the same – Fate and Alicia proved that. That's why," the brunette looked up strongly before giving a full bow, "Please. Please take care of them. I am sorry to push my responsibilities on you, but there is no other choice. Right now, _you_ are Nanoha, and I… am nobody."_

_Hayate instinctively reached out to grab her friend, but her hands passed through the brunette's body like it's never there. Of course not; everything she's seeing now was just a memory from the past, a recording. So why is she feeling so much pain in her heart?_

"_If," Nanoha's tone suddenly darkened as she straightened herself, "if you're seeing this message, then Grey Christmas must be happening again. It either means that I have failed to defeat the enemy, or he is not the true cause of Grey Christmas. I do not know. However, you and I both understand what would happen if we don't stop it. You and I remember it too well. I…"_

_The brunette hesitated. Faltered. But she gave her head a good shake and persisted to speak, "If I can take your place, I will. I never want to experience that horror again, but I would rather die than let someone else suffer in my place. Right now though, there're only you. I believe in our friends, but if the enemy still lives or there's someone just as strong, you are the only one who can fight them. You are the only one who can stop them. Please,"_

_Tears flowed down Nanoha's cheeks, but she did not look away. She did not, "I know it's unfair for me to ask this, that it's terrifying, but – please," Nanoha choked back tears as she struggled with words, "Please – save them."_

_Hayate clenched so tightly her finger bones could break, but she didn't care. The blood was nothing._

_Nanoha breathed in deeply to calm down the tremors; breathed out, "However… If you choose not to fight, it's fine. If you choose to hate me, that's fine as well. I have absolutely no right to judge you or decide your will, for I've created you for the sole purpose of fighting that hell in my place. To protect everyone. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

_So... no matter what path you choose, no matter what choice you make, I wish… I wish you only happiness. As Nanoha Takamichi, or as someone else, as long as you're happy…"_

_She paused a little, and smiled. It was the brightest smile Hayate has seen ever since the beginning of everything, and no longer able to hold back the brunette broke forwards with a cry on her lips. Once again she passed through Nanoha's illusive form, and finally, inevitably, she fell down to her knees, and screamed._

"_Well then. I should get going," Nanoha turned away deliberately to hide her face, and began walking. As her form began to fade away, shoulders trembling, to the unknowing eyes, the ever cheerful brunette might even looked like she's going for a shopping trip. She raised a hand and waved uncertainly._

"_Goodbye, and good luck… Nanoha."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Reminiscence Ended.]<em>**

* * *

><p>She felt something wet on her cheeks that, but did not wipe it. Instead she mustered the last of her strength, and gave him her answer,<p>

"How could I do any less?"

Her brain zapped out. She knew no longer.

**_[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Signs'. Next selected time year 0082 month 12 day 23 0801. Begin playback.]_**


	12. Chapter 12 P1

**Author's Notes: S****o, I'm back! And since I start of with 'I'm back' that means that the final chapter and far from done... After going through my Chapter 12 Part 1 I had felt that there were too many faults and dissatisfaction, and have since working on revamping it. The major changes took place around the lower half of the story, and the final part was totally changed to something else.**

**Currently I'm at my final year in university, and by the gods it was so busy. The new changes to our timetable added a new semester into our studies (So three in total for a year instead of two), and that basically shrank our holidays to almost nothing. I write a hundred words or so now and then but progress is so bloody slow I couldn't stand it myself. As I type this I am four days away from the final subject of my final exam, so once that's over I may finally get a chance to write... for a week. Two months of long holiday translated into a week. Can't say I'm not tempted to bash the management in the face. -_-"  
><strong>

**Anyway, please enjoy the beginning of the end of The Two Goddess, Chapter 12 Part 1!... Dammit, this still sounds lame...**

* * *

><p>It was dark. To fend against light, Hayate had the windows and curtains shut tighter than a sewn lip, and clothes plugged securely underneath the room's door. Even the only mirror in her room was covered up; the brunette did not want the slightest visual disturbances to distract her from sleep. As she sighed unconsciously and sank deeper still into the warming comforts between a bed and a blanket, birds began to chirp an innocent chorus of life just outside the window. Noise does not disturb her as much, and nature's voice could hardly be categorized underneath. Amidst the black that shields and drowning heat, Hayate Yagami slept blissfully like a babe in momma's womb.<p>

Time though, had something else to say. Time was the one thing humans could never transcend be it through faith, science, or magic. No one can. As long as she clings to the illusions of hope, as long as she desires the boundaries of reality, she could never escape from the hunt that is time. Nor did she want to. Throughout her life Hayate had never once wanted an eternal today.

A grain of light descended lightly and tickled at her eyelids. The brunette groaned in dissatisfaction and tried to flip sideways, but the blankets just seemed too heavy. The insignificant trickle grew steadily into an unyielding pour, and finally, unwillingly, Hayate opened her eyes to see the magnificent circle. The harsh light of reality was waiting.

White colored into black, little by little. The brunette stretched outwards with a satisfying yawn, and felt more rested than she had ever been since a very long time. Hayate raised a hand towards the brightening window, and imagined it a sky that she was trying to reach.

_Two days._

Thus, she welcomed tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Hayate took her time humming and weaving her way inside the kitchen despite the fact that it was almost ten, and that her family was waiting quite anxiously in the living room for breakfast. Usually she would have completed everything as early as seven or eight in the morning, but today was a holiday. Actually, the brunette gave her entire unit the whole week off so it was only natural to sleep in late, no? The leisurely time she could take to polish her culinary skills; the simple enjoyment of just being there without worrying about her next schedule, <em>ah<em>… It really has been a long, _long _while since she last enjoyed a break.

"… What are the results, Rein? Is she our Mistress?"

"I _think_ so; I've scanned her with every possible illusion detection spell ever existed…"

"Then you must've missed something, ice ball, because that imposter over there is definitely _not_ Hayate! _Our_ crazy workaholic would _never_ laze around – for an entire hour! – like some drunken airhead! _Never_!"

"Well er, I can't actually refute that – wait who are you calling an ice ball?"

"This is a dangerous situation, although the truth might be simpler than we thought. Perhaps she really is just –drunk."

Hushed whispers drifted ominously through the doorway to sadden Hayate's mood. So maybe she worked eighteen hours a day seven days a week and three hundred and sixty five days a year ever since she became a Private in the Bureau. So maybe she skipped a dozen so outings, gatherings, and vacations just to clean up some important documents. But that doesn't mean she's a workaholic oralcoholic – okay, _maybe _she is one; but that _really_ doesn't mean that she nevertook a breather in her entire working life! In fact, she _always_ take a five minutes nap before meetings, one minute after that for future tasks, relieved stress by groping her female colleagues during patrols and lunches, and play some silly pranks whenever she was bored…

_Twitch s_aid her naughty left eye, and for some unknown reason her right hand was also rebelling to reach the Bhut Jolokia chili peppers she had bought yesterday. But that won't do. _Calm down, _Hayate pleaded urgently to the aching beast rolling underneath her skin, _my knights are just joking._ She had been behaving her absolute best of behavior for the past seven days, surely a couple of insults under the belt would not break the cycle. _Forget about it –_

"Actually… don't you guys think this is a good chance to take our Mistress to a psychiatrist?"

_Snap._Hayate reached out and toyed with the fruit playfully in her hands. She giggled.

* * *

><p>"Neh, Hayate."<p>

Public toilets are dirty. Ask the statement's validity to any ten people who're old enough to understand, and every single one of them will answer it _true_. The TSAB – or wherever people exists, really – too had its fair share of dirty toilets, but from the moment Hayate reigned the SSD6 she made sure that her own headquarter at least would never suffer such a fault. Sometimes where hired, professional cleaners failed Commander Hayate Yagami would put off an hour or two to do their responsibilities, scrubbing while teaching the ever amazed workers a few tricks she picked up after twenty plus years of housekeeping. Never mind that she was always ridiculed behind the back by newcomers; she was just responding honestly to her own dislikes, and that was more than most people could say about themselves. As time goes by the scoffers turned from amazed to impressed, to ashamed then regretful, and every time they used the restrooms they will remember a certain dignified but friendly commander, mopping or washing at some stubborn blemishes while grinning understanding to a line of meek, but increasingly determined white coat workers.

The SSD6 has won the 'Best Cleanliness Award' for two straight years ever since it was formed. It had meant so much more than that.

Today was different, however. The said brunette wagged a finger lightly to hint busyness as she leaned closer towards to the mirror while applying carefully a clear shade of soft pink on her lips, "Yeah?"

"You aren't cooking up some sinister, world scale, death defying prank again, are you?"

The _unjust _accusation very nearly drew an ugly line down her chin, which she fortunately did not. That one sudden, involuntary tremble of fingers however did cause a tiny overshoot at the edge of her lips, and being the perfectionist she was the brunette had to struggle strenuously against the urge of wiping them clean and start all over again from the beginning. Not when she only had ten minutes left before her final speech. Annoyed, Hayate pouted childishly before giving her full attention to Nanoha trying to decide whether she should resist this morning's madness or just dump her friend into today's list of 'unfortunate' victims, "This _is _the part I get mad at you, isn't it Nanoha? I literally can feel it in my bones."

"Nyahaha," As if cornered by the devil the said brunette laughed nervously as she inched slowly away from Hayate, scratching at the right of her cheek with increasing frequency, "I mean, of _course_ I'm happy that you're not playing pranks anymore, and that you're eating and sleeping properly… But are you really alright?"

"I'm fine," She replied casually, pretending not to notice the almost invisible worry coating Nanoha's words while changing the subject, "If anything, you should worry more about Vivio than me. Is she taking the news well?"

"Well… No," the brunette shrugged her shoulders helplessly before fixing her own hair with steady, careful combing, "She didn't like it at all. But I think… I think she understands."

Hayate dropped the lipstick back into her case and glanced towards the door. It doesn't look like anyone was near, but getting careless was the last thing she could do. Preferably she would use the Heart Seeker, but after their final training Reunion has specifically forbid her from using it before Grey Christmas, and even went as far as threatening to cut off their contract. The boy really was very concerned of her wellbeing.

The commander grinned a little and said, "She better. But Vivio's strong, Nanoha, and she has Einhalt too. They won't do anything foolish. How is Destiny?"

The sudden question nearly leaped the brunette three feet high, but then she recovered quickly and looked at Hayate with an almost glare, "Reluctant. But she'll guard the kids from the shadows."

"She cannot return until this is over."

"I know," Nanoha replied in a hollow tone as she stared downwards at her fingers, seemingly mesmerized by the pale white glow reflecting dully on her diamond ring, "I told her that Vivio – she still remembers – might, just might try to sneak back here to help me. I told her to keep an eye on our child," her friend shuddered down a breath before muttering in self-ridicule, "Though truth be told I can't shake off the feeling that if they ever meet, Vivio will convince her somehow and they will both come back _together_. And if that happens…"

_If that happens, would you be angry? Worried? Or perhaps… happy?_

Whatever Nanoha's answer was, she did not word them out and kept it locked deep inside her heart. Hayate was content to leave it at that, for she too suspected that the brunette's reply most probably would not appeal to her judgment or obligation.

_But if the three Aces of the Bureau gathered as one, surely we could triumph over anything. And if we summoned everyone's strength as well then –_

Hayate shook her head, feeling a helpless laughter gathering under her breath. _Two days away from perhaps the end of the world, and here am I dreaming, _she thought. As if to dispel her frustration, Hayate flicked her hair backwards and said quickly, "There's no need to worry; I've prepared countermeasures beforehand. At the very least, they will not return before the 26th."

"Countermeasures?" Nanoha asked worriedly.

* * *

><p>"<em>Okay."<em>

… _She must've misheard her, "I'll repeat. Stop –"_

"– _Fate Testarossa and Vivio Takamichi if they attempt to sneak off Carnaaji."_

"_The plan –"_

"– _is to cause harm or indicate the possibility of danger to anyone of Vivio's close friends, preferably Einhalt Stratos, to keep Vivio from going away and in turn Fate Testarossa as well. If it fails, use whatever means necessary I deem appropriate to complete the task."_

_Hayate didn't know what to say. Fully expecting Lutecia to object, she had spent the entire yesterday imagining this very moment trying to come up with excuses that would justify her command. Instead she got herself an affirmative so quick and calm of decision that the best response she could muster was a blank stare towards the screen. It took a long minute before words finally slid back into her mind,_

"_Are you okay with this, Lutecia?"_

_The girl shrugged a shoulder before replying, "The plan is crude, but it'll work well enough for just a few days."_

"_No, I mean –"_

_Hayate stopped short. How foolish was that question she almost blurted out. Of course Lutecia loved her friends. Of course the girl would never dreaming of hurting them. Of course the orders _hurt_. And yet here she was about to ask how her student felt about the cruel command she threw unfairly upon her lap. Sinful. Shameless. It was bad enough that she had forced such a terrible sin on a girl, and now she was actually pricking at her misery?_

"– _Never mind," her fingers reaching to turn off her communicator; the brunette cannot _bear_ to think for a second longer, "I'll see you later."_

"Big sis_!" Lutecia suddenly shouted as Hayate froze like a Medusa-petrified statue. _No. _She knew what she was going to say, did not want to hear her words, unbelievably terrified that for all she had done, the sins and wrongs committed under the name of greater good, right here and now, a victim of her direct mechanizations was about to do the unthinkable, was about to –_

"_I'm alright, okay? If it means protecting the people I love, I don't mind at all if everyone misunderstands me. It's _not your fault_. Don't be sad, big sis –"_

* * *

><p>"… Eh. Countermeasures."<p>

She must've lost her train of thought somewhere, again, for the ticking time on her watch showed two minutes before her speech. The daydreams – increasingly frequent – wouldn't have mattered if she was alone, but in the presence of others could cause various problems. Such as, the deep worry too mismatched to lurk within her friend's beautiful eyes, that slight but nervous twitch of a little finger pondering if she had asked right, the unnatural shuffling of feet and shiver as Hayate brushed her sight up once, then down the brunette's lines as if caressing. Four months ago Nanoha was totally unreadable, but the her now was like an open book –

"Hayate?"

The chime-like voice woke Hayate to her senses, and the commander dragged in a deep breath while staring outdoors, "Time is almost up. We should go."

Hayate slung her handbag on her shoulders, and after careful composing her face she put up a calm smile for Nanoha. There was no hiding of her brief flashback or crumbling emotions, they knew each other only too well for such barriers to exist. But at the very least… she wanted Nanoha to know that she could handle this. That she was okay.

"Whenever you need me," Nanoha grabbed her shoulders suddenly, holding her firm while she stared stubbornly into her eyes. Somehow Hayate felt like she has seen this before, at somewhere she couldn't quite remember, a resolution forged atop a great, lonely cliff –

"… Of course."

They marched out.

* * *

><p>The day was good. Wind blew not too strong that it would squint one's eyes as trees swayed to flourish earthen beauty. Green, yellow, and the rarely red surfed air currents to dance playfully atop of people's head, a stoic reminder to few of the imp that was a fantastic creature told by certain lore on Earth. The seemingly scarce but lively attendees chatted and laughed animatedly with each other as if long lost friends; and if put to consideration their respective occupations, pasts and beliefs, that they were. These were people once strangers now close, once enemy now allies, once alone and now… together. That was especially true for one red head and pink who just can't get their hands of each other even though mobbed by a torrent of questions and pokey teasing. Lazy clouds seemed to heed the crowd's joy and shielded them from the searing sunlight, by which a few believers claimed an act of God, although for a certain ever cheerful cyborg her praise was obviously in jest. The 'babysitter' – since it was long established that she <em>cannot<em> be left free for even a second – did not overlook the slight and smacked the cyborg squarely in the head. And of course, the ensuing massive quarrel justified correctly Hayate's decision not to have chairs for the attendees.

Hayate Yagami stood dignified in front of a crowd of fifteen, staring into their faces with a grim line hanging on her own. She could sense acutely the emotions rumbling in each and every one of her friends: To her left was the nervous but determined Caro, the tall and matured Erio, the calm and resolute Teana, the serious but cheerful Subaru, focused and obedient Cinque, devoted but doubting Schach.

To her right was Ginga Nakajima conversing among Dieci, Nove and Otto, Yuuno consulting Sein on something, Deed and Wendi simply standing by and watching their surroundings with a reserved smile. Chrono could not attend to handle certain matters. Counting in the absent Wolkenritters, these were the members Hayate handpicked personally for her team, and they were nothing but the best among the best. Together they are invincible, capable of solving even the worst of situations and defeat anything that stood in their way. She believed them so and would not think otherwise.

Failure was not an option.

The brunette forced another deep breath into her lungs, refreshing her mind with a full mouth of oxygen before breaking into a smile. Ignoring the fog cloaking various parts of her mind, Hayate focused greatly onto her current task and began,

"So… Good afternoon everyone. Did you enjoy your vacation? It has been a long time since I took one, so I must say that sleeping eight hours a day feels good. _Really_ good. In fact, how did I ever manage to work all night? It was pretty unimaginable…"

Everyone laughed at the self-jab, the pure joy without malice tugging painfully at her own corner of the lips, but alas she did not smile. Could not. As the harbinger of bad news, at the very least she should act like one,

"… Until I remembered, that is. That day was a holiday too. People woke inevitably to the dawn, in solitude or with companions, in excitement or peacefulness, in urgency or a languid pace; ready for the birth of a special day. After all, the Eve had been wonderful. Why not Christmas?"

Soft words, really. Gentle whispers that seemed to promise yet another unforgettable, marvelous day. It seeped a chill so dreadful that none of them could suppress a shudder, and the gentle-hearted Caro turned pale enough to scare a ghost. But Hayate Yagami would not give respite; the _dead_ could not even feel such things,

"In a sense, it was an _exceptional_ day. It was a day where my friends were hurt, and I could not do anything to save them. It was a day where my comrades failed and needed my power, and still I stood by and did nothing to help them. It was a day the people I swore to protect died like pigs to slaughter, and yet the one thing I can boast of, from the beginning to the end, is to _let them._"

Hayate gave no chance for rebuttal, pressing on words before the other could use them, "In the end, Nanoha managed to break through from inside, and the barrier began to recede. The first thing on my mind at that moment was relief: _Finally it was over_, I had thought, _now we can rescue the people inside_. I had Shari zoomed in closer to the city, feeling hopeful, and I saw –"

* * *

><p><em>She saw a grey white sky, falling countless drops of pure white snow as a blessing, only to dye them red and black. She saw mountains of bloody corpses, limbs and heads and torsos stacked messily like a pile of garbage, choking at each road like a stretching wall of flesh; she remembered a once beautiful lake choked with the corpses of animals, a dog or cat or bird's head whirling and whirling and whirling above clogs of blood. As she stood seized and strangled by the grotesque pictures of ultimate terror, she even saw a weird-looking tree, curiously pink and white and soft, until finally she realized with overwhelming vomit that it was a tree meshed and bound together by countless number of twisted, newborn babies –<em>

* * *

><p>"Hayate!"<p>

She felt a hand grabbing her shoulders, and as if pulled by an unknown force the black world rushed forwards and disappeared. Once again she stood under a bright sunny day, except that for some reason her body now leaned heavily against someone. Must be Nanoha. Did she slip? But she had no recollection of moving around whatsoever, much less falling. Hayate touched a hand against her neck and collar, and they were utterly drenched in sweat.

"Can you hear me? Hayate!" Nanoha asked urgently. The commander turned to look at the bodyguard but could not make sense of the pale complexion she wore. It was just a slip, a blackout, it's not as if she had never been like this before. Certainly never on a speech, but…

"How long… how long was I out?"

"No more than ten seconds," _That's good,_ "but… what on earth was that just now? What was that… memory?"

At first she didn't understand. _Memory? What memory? _But then the images came rushing back like a gushing waterfall, and all the blood drained instantly from her face. _Oh, no. I didn't._ But then Hayate heard a whimper at the background, and when she turned to look it was none other than the dragon mistress Caro, pushing and trembling her face as deeply as she could into Erio's chest, sobbing. The others didn't look any better either, and while Scaglietti's former cyborgs coped well enough everyone else was either throwing up or looked like they're about to. _Shit._ Without even bothering to get up she immediately grabbed onto Nanoha's shoulders and apologized profusely, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to show your memories, it just – it just _happened_ somehow, _dammit_ –"

"But Hayate!" The brunette's fingers dug deeper into her waist, looking even more distraught and frightened than before, "What are you talking about? _Those are not my memories_."

_Thump_. "What?"

"_Those are not my memories_," Purple eyes stared intensely into hers, and Hayate felt a terrible chill running up her spine; it has been quite some time since she felt _fear_, "Certainly I've seen my share of horror inside Grey Christmas, but there's absolutely _nothing_ like the one you've shown us… Did it even _happen_? The lake was there, but I don't remember –"

"It didn't happen. I remember that a few dozen people drowned there, but no animals," Hayate replied tonelessly.

Nanoha looked like she had something to say, but closed her mouth after a moment's consideration, and that was the right choice to make. Hayate wasn't sure herself that she could answer any of the questions.

_Was it a memory? If so, then was it the past that I saw? But there's no blood-choked lake, no trees of babies, there never was such a thing. Also, the south east area was never reopened and has remained empty ever since. No one goes in there except us, not even birds._

_It can't be the future, even now the last batches of people are being evacuated. It could be, but the possibility is pretty slim. Whatever it was, it _must _have come from Heart Seeker. So what comes from Heart Seeker? Memories, thoughts, feelings, dreams, whatever the mind comes up with…_

_An imagination then? But someone had to imagine them at least, someone that's connected to Heart Seeker._

_Someone I _know.

Slowly she turned head to the crowd and without much hope, try to see if anyone of them, anyone at all could be the _one_.

None of them looked psychotic or insane. Not even close.

She turned her head towards Nanoha, her best friend, holding her with concern lurking beneath her eyes.

Even s_he_ could be the one. There's no way for her to know.

She _can_ be.

Yuuno ran up the stairs and came quickly to her's side. He looked between Nanoha and Hayate uncertainly, but then she started slowly,

"I think that I'm too dizzy to continue. Please take me to my room, Yuuno. Nanoha, could you tell everyone later that I'm sorry?"

"… Sure."

Slowly but gently Yuuno carried Hayate into his arms, and she breathed a little more comfortably under his warmth. She felt just a little safer.

But he, even he –

_I need to see Reunion._

* * *

><p>The Cranagan International Airport was more crowded than usual. Boasted as the best flight field in Mid-Childa, it was perfectly equipped with the latest of technology and ran by the stringiest of conduct. Square, fluorescent lamps lit different colors of code among different sections of the halls; blue for waiting and green for departure and white of course, just to keep the place bright. Red could only mean emergency or danger, but that happened only once in a blue moon and the last occurrence was a good five years ago. Clear, see-through glasses tiled ten stories high to cover the entire exterior of the airport as a show of grandeur and boundless freedom, and yet thick and strong enough to ward off nothing less than a double A grade bomb. But the most amazing thing was that it reflects up to ninety percent of heat and sunlight, and so the evening sun that felt hot enough to burn on the streets was now utterly negated and unnoticeable.<p>

Hayate muttered a thanks to the cashier before grabbing gingerly at her lunch tray and walked away. She didn't really care to wait over thirty minutes in the line for her fast food – time didn't matter much for her now – but she do care about her money. With conscious effort she carefully summed up the value of one burger, one fry and one cup of plain water before concluding finally that she was given the correct amount of change. It was the first habit she taught herself up after her parents passed away in a car accident, and despite having inherited a large amount of wealth Hayate never once thought that her money was unlimited. And so through sweat and tears she slowly built up her management skills, and one year later numbers came to her as easily as breathing.

That was in the past. But still, even if she was counting a lot slower than before her skill was still accurate, and given enough time she would be dancing as one with the digits again.

Probably.

"Aunt Hayate!"

A cheerful shout rang from behind her, and Hayate turned to look with a smile, "Ah… Hi, Vivio."

The teenager leap-frogged and charged right into her lap; it was a habit that the girl grew accustomed to ever since they gotten close, and Hayate could not help but feel the vast well of affection inside her heart. The little girl she had come to love though had definitely grown much bigger in more places than one, and even with her hips propped for impact Hayate was nearly knocked off her chair. Now that she thought about it, Vivio's adult form was around five feet ten, which meant the tall girl now still has room to grow. In a year or two it wouldn't even be a matter of whether she could hold her ground, but how far she was bumped off from impact. She suspected that she would not like the answer.

But such thoughts were irrelevant. Quickly Hayate dismissed them from her mind and rubbed Vivio's head affectionately, "Looks like you're having a good day. Have you packed everything yet?"

Vivio nodded enthusiastically, "Sure thing! I had Sacred Heart compiled a list of all the items so I shouldn't miss out anything. Besides, Nanoha-mama double-checked everything herself. She really worries too much."

"Really?" A wry voice echoed from behind Vivio's back, "Who was the girl who spilled her milk last week? Or forgot her wallet at the dessert store? Especially yesterday –"

"Ah, ah, ahhhh! Stop! Mama, you promised not to tell anyone else!" Vivio jumped two meters in the air and ran towards Nanoha in panic. The mentioned mother smiled impishly at her daughter, and Hayate noted that instead of sticking to the old, favorite uniform, her friend had changed for quite the refreshing outfit: A plain white dress that stretched down to her ankles coupled with a sleeveless blue jacket. The image suited perfectly well with the single black briefcase she's pulling, and the light-bathed angel drew admiring eyes from every direction.

Hayate didn't need to guess why the extravagant outfit. The two companions glanced briefly at each other and reached promptly mutual understanding. The brunette took a bite at her fish burger, savoring every bite before asking Vivio, "So where're Einhalt? I thought she would come with you."

The girl answered, "Someone called her, and she asked me to come here first."

"Aren't you worried? It could be a secret boyfriend," Hayate teased her playfully.

Once upon a time the suggestion would have turned the Takamachi daughter into a terribly red fluster, but after years of teasing she was so used to it that Vivio simply smiled and replied with conviction, "She does not have one, and even if Einhalt does she'll definitely tell me. It's Lutecia."

_I see, so she has begun her move. I shan't waste time then._ Hayate continued to munch at her burger as she pointed at the departure hall, "Why don't you go inside and wait? I have something to talk with your mama here. It'll be quick."

"Mu. Not work again. The two of you never take a break," Vivio puffed her cheek in annoyance. But the girl took her briefcase from an apologetic Nanoha and walked away while waving, "Come in later when you're done, okay? Don't take too long!"

"Sure thing. And er, tell Miura I'll be there soon!" Hayate called out loudly.

"Okay!"

Finally Vivio disappeared into the black mass of people, and the two TSAB officers were alone once more. Personally she would've preferred transferring Vivio and the others by _Wolfram_, but since she was going to 'retire' in approximately eight hours it would be best to avoid the risk; not to mention that they were gathered here under the pretext of joining Megane Alpine's fighting tournament. None of them had suspected anything else, but some of them will if the transport they boarded was a military warship. Unnecessary questions were among the last of things she needed right now; she had more than enough of her own.

Although she still would've done just that if anything went wrong with Lutecia's planning. The girl had wanted the departure to coincide with the date the last batches of people were evacuated so as not to appear rushed and natural, but today was still too close a time for the commander's comfort. There was always a chance that Grey Christmas could start early, and while Hayate did prepare to a certain extent measures of a rescue operation, the possibly horrific consequences were just too terrible to contemplate about. Did Lutecia _want_ her friends to stay then? To get an excuse so she could come down and help? Surely not…

Hayate he casted away the gloomy thoughts and motioned to Nanoha at her newly bought drink,

"Water?"

"Mm, okay. I am quite thirsty now."

Hayate sneaked a glance at the brunette as she gulped it down, "Thirsty, or nervous?"

"Mou, stop being such a bully…"

They went quiet. Outdoors the sky dyed slowly from blue to orange, but the lighting within the airport simply grew steadily whiter. Hayate couldn't remember when she'd finished her burger, but when Nanoha suddenly spoke she was biting absentmindedly at a fry,

"So… did you ever find anything about the memory?"

Hayate grimaced at the question. To her it was a clear reminder on how badly she had handled the situation; if Nanoha and Yuuno hadn't been there to pick things up the meeting would've been a total failure, "No, not really. He's not picking up the phone so I left him a message; but until he responds…"

Nanoha frowned at the half-hearted reply, "That's rather unfortunate. I wanted to know more about those visions… They could be key to our survival."

Hayate muttered half-consciously, "Well I don't."

"Really?"

She chose not to say anything at all. The commander glanced through the transparent glass panels and into the horizon. White, puffy clouds floated lazily across her sight without a care for the world.

"You know…" Nanoha took a sip from her drink as she mumbled worriedly, "you're not acting yourself lately."

"I don't think so."

"You know best yourself. Like the speech; it just isn't like you to leave it unfinished even after that. I thought you would… well, cheer everyone up."

"Nanoha, you really think of me too highly," Hayate looked back at her with a blank expression, "If I had continued speaking under that condition it could only end in disaster. I know it."

The brunette opened her mouth as if to appeal, but in the end she chose to let the matter slip and looked away. Hayate smiled a little at Nanoha's clear frustration; it wasn't as if she didn't understand what her friend was talking about. In the past, perhaps.

But now...

Suddenly, a look of apprehension lit up in Nanoha's eyes, and her expression turned somber, "I see. The Heart Seeker, the Protection Training… You paid a price."

_So she figured it out in the end. It did not matter, _"Perhaps. Much smaller than yours, I reckon."

For a moment the brunette looked startled at her confession. And then she said with a much, much more concerned look, "There's no such thing as a small price, Hayate."

"Didn't you come here to see Destiny?" Hayate wagged a finger impatiently, "I thought you would be more anxious to see her; ask how or where she is. Why did you think I send off Vivio for?"

"The fact that you're saying this now means that she's just fine," Nanoha rebutted calmly; not rising to the bait, "You however, are not. What is the price?"

"What can you do even if I've told you?" Hayate remarked sarcastically, "Talk?"

"That is exactly right," the brunette leaned closer and grabbed her hand, even as Hayate kicked herself in the head to give Nanoha the chance to do so, "_Talk_. That was what you taught me that day, and I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong with you."

Hayate closed her eyes. It felt like rubbing salt on wound to have her own actions biting back on her, especially when she could not remember what it was. True to her heart, Hayate did not have the slightest intention to tell anyone about her condition; and in fact did not know what was going to happen as time crawls by. Besides the side effects Reunion had elaborated painstakingly on the day they've made the contract, she made no efforts to know any other changes that would certainly happen as time crawls by. And why should her? Pain and suffering were all the fact she needed to know. No need to let fear pounce her as well.

Abruptly Hayate opened her eyes and spoke, "I am not myself."

"Yes?"

"This is the last time I will say this. I am not myself," she dug a nail into her palm to force out the words, "Not entirely… Sometimes I daze out. Sometimes I could not remember things. Could be a memory, a skill... Something."

Nanoha stared at her. Hayate ignored that and ate her fries in a timely, systematic manner. Never mind her appetite, she wasn't sure what her expression would be if she looked up to Nanoha now. And yet the last bits of the fries vanished into her mouth and for once, out of clever quips and excuses in her mind, the commander was left with no choice but to look up to the brunette. The effort alone quelled all the courage she had mustered, and when she confronted that gaze something broke within her heart.

Nanoha opened her mouth to speak, closed it; repeated the gesture many times before finally looking away. Abruptly Hayate was reminded of that day, the day Nanoha had looked longingly outwards as if a child, wishing and hoping for something ever so transient, so far away. On that day, when she had meant to bid goodbye… forever.

"We'll win."

"Mm."

"We'll definitely win," Hayate insisted again; feeling desperate for no reason, "Who knows? There might not even be a Grey Christmas."

"… Mm."

They said nothing else until Vivio's flight was announced.

* * *

><p>The Protection Training's main purpose was to establish a communication link between Reunion, Hayate, and members of the emergency response team. During the first Grey Christmas it was impossible to establish any form of wireless communication in out the enclosed area, and this critical problem had delayed the TSAB fatally to result in the genocide of a whole city of people. Hayate had known from the very beginning that unless they could somehow address to this problem, attempting any kind of operation within Grey Christmas would be equivalent to suicide. Since then the TSAB had focused their efforts on inventing new communication technologies that would work while being barrier jammed, but the results were not encouraging. After all Grey Christmas happened only once, and it was a completely foreign phenomenon unheard in any of the Known Worlds. Therefore countermeasure was defaulted to simply blast through the ominous barrier and deal with matters then. But Hayate had seen firsthand of the barrier's incredible resilience to hold the Wolkenritter's full power with ease; she didn't think that it was a feasible solution. The barrier is not magical, and they could only count an approximation of its strength based on Nanoha's successful shot. Plus there were still too many unknown factors. A warship's firepower is a terrifying thing to behold, no matter how controlled or minimized it could be, one misstep, and Cranagan might not be the only thing that's destroyed.<p>

But back to communications. Hayate would never have agreed to Chrono's proposition if she hadn't already figure out how to solve that problem, and that is through Heart Seeker. The magic was special in a way that as long as a contract was established, no matter how far apart the magic wielder and the contractor were they would always be connected to each other. That meant that communication was possible even when the two were dimensions apart, and to put it lightly it was an advantage unheard of in the TSAB's history. Jamming meant nothing before Heart Seeker, and it was the ideal solution to Hayate's problem.

It was also the last thing Hayate wanted to use. As a victim of the magic's will once, she understood all too well the deadly grip it held over a person's mind. If Reunion had not acted to sever the connection she did not believe that she would've given up on it. To act without regrets, to be saddened without despairing, to _believe_ and follow through one's ideals without being drowned by guilt; all for the one price of surrendering their soul to the magic. It was literally _the _salvation mankind has been seeking all along. At the very least, it was salvation she wanted so badly that she would murder to get it.

Hayate knew already the answer she would give. She didn't want anyone else to be met with such a choice.

On to the more practical reason for her reluctance to use Heart Seeker. Reunion almost never established a contract in his life because every time he became connected to a foreign mind he risked corrupting his own personality. Heart Seeker was dangerous in that it will try to meld the two connecting minds together regardless of their will. In fact, the magic's nature was that of a carnivore that would seek out and devour the hearts of people until nothing is left. Not even Reunion was an exception. Every time he made a contract he would risk losing himself, and there was simply no way to know that his will did not mix with the bonded. How could anyone be sure, when people can change any moment in their lives?

Once, Heart Seeker had almost killed the entire world. Once, there was someone who managed to stop it. Those were memories of the far past Reunion inherited as the master of Heart Seeker. Those were realities that he could bring forth if he chose to submit. But at least for now, life is interesting enough that he didn't feel like destroying it.

For now.

_Oh, stop acting like you're god or something, you can't even wash the plates without breaking them! Useless brat._

_He – hey! Stop – don't touch – my hair's all messed up! Argh!_

On that very normal day, when a mother and a child talked briefly about the most dangerous magic in history.

They had meant to leave it that way until the end of their lives. They really do.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the departure hall just in time to see the teenagers readying their luggage at the speaker's call and moving slowly into a line. Almost all the participants from the DSAA Inter-Middle Tournament three years ago have been gathered: They were Chantez Arpinion, Knight of the Saint Church, a mischievous and tricky weapon user who would not stop bugging an extremely annoyed Victoria Dahlgrun as they argued incessantly until Victoria's butler stepped in. Ever since her defeat Chantez latched onto the regal looking Thunder Empress like a leech, and although there had been some tense moments in the end they became really good friends. The twin tail girl sighing in relief beside them was called Sieglinde Jeremiah, and despite her bony and short appearance she was a past Champion one of the best fighters among her age. Once she had worn a black hood every day to hide her face, and now she has finally shed that habit and carried herself with a much brighter smile.<p>

Others included Micaiah Shevelee, a katana user whose blade was as graceful as her manners; Fabia Crozelg, whose skills were although as wicked as her title was naïve enough to believe Lutecia's threats of a curse if she refused her invitation; Els Tasmin and Hary Tribeca, so different in their personalities and even magic, but while they deny with all their might the two shared a bond as close as sisters. At the end of the line stood a group of chatty trio namely Vivio, Corona and Rio; a quiet but beaming Einhalt, and finally the anxious looking Miura. Hayate knew that the kids went in quite early, so they must've stayed behind to see her and Nanoha.

Hayate smiled. To the unknowing eyes they looked a suspicious bunch of teenagers with their diverse personalities and weird outfits. To her though, they were none other than the children of the future, the seeds of her greatest hope. Someday, they would take over her generation's mantle and become the greatest protectors of the Dimensional Sea. And if there's anyone, anyone at all who could change the way the Bureau is now, it would be them.

She will not allow them to die in Grey Christmas.

"Miura," Hayate called out to the crowd before her.

Immediately a short-haired girl turned around at the call with her face lighting up like a candle, "Hayate!" The girl was about to run right for her while pulling her ridiculously huge luggage, but Einhalt stopped her with one firm hold to the shoulder and took the bag instead. With a light smile she said, "I'll hold these for you. Just go."

For a moment Miura looked locked with indecision, but then she quickly bowed and thanked Einhalt gratefully for the help. The commander shook her head wryly; it looked like Zafira's hard-headed student had finally learned some semblance of flexibility. Seeing that the duo could use some time alone, Nanoha tried to make a move towards Vivio but Hayate stopped her with a one firm grab on the shoulders and pulled her close. She whispered into the brunette's ear,

"Destiny has short black hair, sits near the window, and her eye color is purple. Your color. Now go."

Hayate gave her startled friend a good push towards her daughter and waved away carelessly the spluttered thanks. It was only natural. The brunette stretched upwards mightily to relieve some strain off her back as Miura reached her, and smiled,

"Good evening. You look like you're in top condition."

"Yes, Commander Hayate! I – I – I mean Hayate!" the panicking girl saluted her for no reason. Miura usually does not get this flustered, but apparently her uniformed appearance was putting on pressure on to the child. While she did not have the skill to instantly change her clothes… Hayate slipped a hand under her cloak to pull out a raccoon's mask, and put it on. Miura stared stupefied at the commander's bold display in public as Hayate began mimicking a weird guttural noise, "Grrr~ Have you been trained well lately? Did you slack off when Zafira's isn't around? Grr – Wait. Why am I doing a dog's growl?"

"Of course I do my training – wait Hayate! Put away the mask, please, it's embarrassing for you!" the girl replied hurriedly.

"First you'll have to relax. It's unbecoming for a Yagami disciple to get so flustered over small things," Already they were beginning to draw glances from the other passengers, and Chantez was literally giggling out loud, "So are you ready? One, two, three!"

Miura understood the meaning behind the counting immediately. It was the very first thing Zafira had taught Miura when she first enrolled to learn the Yagami Style, an extremely simple breathing exercise used to calm and focus one's mind. Seeing that she had no choice in the matter, Miura closed her eyes slowly and one, breathed in; two, breathed out; and three, open her eyes and take in the world.

.. Which, was, a vicious looking raccoon just an inch away from her nose. Hayate found it nearly impossible to contain her laughter as Miura jumped two feet high, but she finally put away the mask and grinned, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Miura slumped down her shoulders; that fright nearly gave her a heart attack, "Really Hayate, mou…"

"That's because you looked so tensed," Hayate replied with a shrug of shoulders, "so I had to do something. Anyway, have you see Zafira and the others? I thought they'll be here by now."

"Well, no," Miura answered with a hint of dejection, "He sent me a pretty weird message about needing to cool off his tongue or something…"

_Oops. I didn't think the chili would be that hot. _Feeling guilty as she was responsible for the knights' absence, she patted the girl's head and said soothingly, "Don't blame him, it's not his fault. Zafira and the others er, have to do something for me, which is why they can't come. Although he did ask me to carry a message for you."

"What is it?" Miura asked eagerly. Again Hayate feel a little guilty about lying, but the commander did know exactly what message the guardian beast would've wanted to tell Miura. And so she whispered a silent sorry to the old dog, and leaned forwards with a great smile on her face,

"Do your best, and don't give up."

"Yes!" Miura nodded strongly. Despite hearing the same words every day when she trained with Zafira, Hayate could not see anything like boredom but a genuine, wholehearted smile from the girl's face. The thought put a little warmth in her heart, and she urged the kid onwards.

"Time to go," Hayate said while pointing at a nearby wall clock. Miura stared longingly at her for a second, looking to etch her entire being into her her head before finally nodding and ran towards the line. On the way, the girl turned back and shouted, "I'll see you later, Hayate! Please send my regards to everyone!"

"Ah! I'll definitely do that!" And as she waved hesitatingly at the girl, Hayate finally added, "We'll see you later!"

"Yes!"

Her lively figure vanished at the end of the entrance's black corner, and the brunette was finally alone. She looked around carefully, but did not see Nanoha or Vivio's group. They must've gone abroad the ship. Hayate wondered briefly if there's anything else that she needed to do. She had assembled her team, acquired Heart Seeker, found Fate, and evacuated everyone away from Cranagan. What else?

… Nothing came to mind.

All that's left was to complete the mission.

"I should go," The brunette muttered quietly. There was no need to wait for Nanoha; her friend was needed for some last minute equipment calibrations. All that's left… all that's left was to check up on the 'preparations'. She was not in a hurry though. If things had gone smoothly, the Wolkenritters should be done around dinner time.

She should cook something.

Hayate turned around and walked away, never looking back.

* * *

><p>The cooking took much longer than Hayate thought, and by the time dinner was finally prepared the brunette abruptly remembered that she had forgotten to cook her own portion. Hayate checked the time, and shook her head. Ten fifteen; too late, too short, but perhaps she could still find something in the cafeteria to fill her belly. Obviously the only food left at this hour would be cold leftovers, but Hayate was no stranger to them. Heck, if she delayed any longer she might not even make it for leftovers, and Rein fretting around and bossing was not a sight Hayate would like to see. She quickly wrapped up the final box of dinner, carefully arranging them on top of the table and went out of the room. Then the silvery white hallway jumped rudely into her sight, disorientating her momentarily as Hayate staggered on her feet.<p>

Ah, yes. She's abroad the _Claudia_ now. She was so focused on cooking just now that she almost forgot. How nice of Chrono to arrange her in a VIP guest room that's rich enough to have its own kitchen.

_You will get what you wish: No limiters, the press conference, me commanding your team, everything. In return, you will do just _one_ thing for me._

As Hayate stepped into the white lit cafeteria and straight for the food serving counter – nothing grimly that the usually crowd-packed place was now almost void of men – a sigh of relief finally came through when she saw that there was fried noodles just enough to fill half a plate. For most people it would be far too little, but Hayate was a pretty light eater. With practiced ease she scooped the food quickly into a plate and took a seat at the nearest bench, muttered quietly a customary thanks, and reached for her fork.

"Commander."

A shadow fluttered before her eyes. Hayate lifted her head slowly, and against the white light her vision adjusted to reveal the sword master Signum, stiff and formal with a lack of fluidity usually present in her stature. The warrior looked so utterly exhausted that it pained Hayate to even look at her. Quickly she moved away to allow Signum a seat, and the knight accepted it gratefully with a thanks.

"So… how's the setup?"

Signum thought carefully before replying, "It is complete. All the devices are in place, and individually at least, they are functioning properly. We cannot conduct a proper test, though."

"That is good enough," Hayate nodded, eyes glancing around to make sure that no one was close enough to hear their conversation, "We would still need to activate them from outside the 'area', but unless the entire Mid-Childa is covered in an instant, the mechanism should work. Well done, Lieutenant. Where's everyone else?"

"They're eating dinner," Signum paused a little before adding an afterthought, "I thought that I'll report to you first since the matter is important."

"It is. But not more important than your health, as you so love to tell me every time," Hayate mused. She stared at her tiny meal for a moment, then pushed it towards Signum's side and said, "Take a bite."

Signum looked at her with incredulity, "But commander –"

"No buts. I've eaten a little just now, so it's fine," Hayate waved a hand nonchalantly; she could starve for one night at least.

Signum stared at her for quite some time, her hands unmoving. Her eyes seemed to grow murky with blackness as the reply came back solemnly, "I cannot. Mistress, you… you need your energy."

Hayate froze. The knight had tried to be subtle, but there was no mistake to the pained tone underneath: Signum knew that she was lying.

_Lying._

By now the only living presences in the canteen were the two of them; the tired cleaners were not so dulled by long hours of work that they could not sense an increasingly tensed atmosphere.

"I keep forgetting that it doesn't work on family," Hayate half-laughed, feeling an almost hysterical urge to sob, "Sorry, Signum. I'm really sorry."

"Hayate!" The world jerked suddenly sideways, and before she knew it a strong pair of arms held her firmly against flesh. Sweat and dirt brushed roughly against her face, but all Hayate felt was mind numbing comfort. All of her troubles, her worries, her confusions' they all evaporated as if never existed.

"You have _nothing_ to apologize for."

There was a tremble. For a moment Hayate thought that it was just her, but they came surely from those strong arms that she thought never would waver.

"Lately, I find that I don't understand you at all, Hayate," Signum whispered faintly, "Things, there are so many things that you're not telling us, so many days you just hide inside your room and not coming out... and I, we, couldn't do _anything_."

Hayate could see clearly the clenched knuckle before her face turned white as paper, shaking. It did not match at all the protective embrace that enveloped gently around her shoulders.

"That is not true, Signum. You were there… My family is always there for me, and that is enough."

"It is _not_," Signum whispered harshly, "Don't tell me that. Just what is it that's haunting you? Just why can't we_ help you?_"

Her sight swam against her will, and suddenly she was back again at the peak of a mountain, the edge of the world. Seeing.

The back of an angel.

"There are things… things you cannot help but do alone. Thing that you wouldn't want others to worry about. Things like, erm, masturbating."

"Huh?" That momentarily blank of thought was all Hayate needed to slip out of Signum's hold, and she arched backwards with a satisfying stretch of the bone. Admittedly, the hug had been comfortable. It was something that she hadn't done a very long time.

But she has to go on.

Hayate curled her hair to the back of her ears and spoke, "You can… worry about me. I cannot stop until this is over, and you will not either, so I won't ask you to stop caring. But I'll ask you just one thing, Signum," she turned around and matched the warrior's eyes – _her_ warrior – and asked fiercely,

"Do you believe in me?"

"I… do."

"Has there been any crisis that I failed to solve?"

"… No."

"Do you think me so weak that I couldn't stand a little trouble as this?"

"No, of course not…" Finally, Signum bowed her head and answered solemnly, "You are the final Mistress of the Night Sky. There is nothing you cannot overcome. I… Forgive my insolence, Mistress."

"Don't be silly, dummy," Hayate spoke softly, and held Signum's hands. Those coarse, dirty, but warm hands of family member that she would die to protect, "There is nothing to forgive. Nothing at all."

She broke suddenly into a wicked smile, and whispered something obscene.

She leaped to her feet, face red, spouting incoherent words while pulling herself free.

Then, with no warning at all, disregarding totally the happiness that looked as if it might go on forever, all alarms abroad _Claudia _began to blare.

And the countdown to hell, begins.


	13. Chapter 12 P2

**Author's Notes: I didn't quit the story. It took quite some time, but finally Part 2 is complete (but totally unedited, so I'm probably going to kick myself in the head later), and tomorrow will truly be the end of The Two Goddesses.**

**Do enjoy, and happy Christmas Eve everyone.**

* * *

><p><em>[Eeeeeeeeeee – Eeeeeeeeeee – Eeeeeeeeeeee <em>–<em>]_

The alarm went on and on like the screech of a dying person. _What? This is impossible. It is still a day before Christmas, one hour before Eve. Why?_ Hayate's mind went blank for a second, but the long years of discipline thankfully kept her calm and thinking about the right course of action to take. Signum herself looked quite the collected bodyguard as she moved immediately to beside Hayate with Laevantein at hand, exhaustion thoroughly forgotten. She had to keep herself together.

"Signum."

"Yes."

"I'll meet you at the hanger in five minutes. You go first."

Signum looked at her hesitantly, no doubt contemplating whether she should insist to stay or leave, but the knight responded quickly after a moment's thought, "Yes, ma'am. I'll see you later."

As Signum turned away and disappeared around the corner, Hayate has already brought out her communicator from her pocket and picked out Chrono from her call list. Within seconds of the call, the young man's face winked into existence with his jaws set with a grim, hard line.

"Hayate."

"I know. What's the status on that thing?"

"It's smaller than last time but spreading outwards at a relatively constant speed. Can't tell if it's going to stop at the same range as last time or at all."

"Assuming that it's going to spread infinitely until it covers the whole Mid-Childa, how much time do we have?"

"Wait a sec – A day and a half? No – I'm guessing twenty five hours at most. You need to move."

"A little more than a day," she whispered to herself, unconsciously tightening her grip on the flat panel of her communicator, "There's not much time then."

"That's true, but we don't have a choice. You should get to the hanger as soon as possible and wait for orders."

"Wait? What are you going to do?"

"Well," Chrono hesitated a little before answering, "We're going to deploy five Excel Raptors to the ground as scouts in five minutes."

"You better tell me that it's not one of your decisions, Chrono," Hayate answered sarcastically, "because I'm sure as hell not going to pick up your toys if anything happens."

"Of course not. Though, given your somewhat _unlucky_ constitution something might still happen, so if you would reconsider –"

"_Chrono."_

"I know. Later then, Captain Yagami. Good luck."

The transmission winked out, and Hayate sighed. Even Chrono was trying to talk her down from the fight. But after all she did, all her sacrifices, all the misery, to back down from a chance to bring down Gray Christmas was simply unthinkable. If not for her friends, her family, or even her beliefs, then at the very least…

She wants _revenge _for _everything_.

Hayate took a quick look at the clock. The five hours would only tick downwards, and there was no time to waste. She turned towards the doorway and began running.

* * *

><p>"The cannon's firing in two minutes! All units, round up and standby at your positions!"<p>

"Yes ma'am!"

Hayate took a random swing at the air as she tried to stave off anxiety from her mind. It was futile. The general atmosphere within the hanger was choked full with the emotion, and not a single person felt up to be the mood maker. Almost every one of them has faced death in the face at some point, and yet the premonition of failure and despair has never been as strong and foreboding until now. To put it mildly, it was sickening to watch Cranagan disappear little by little as that red _thing_ engulfed it with surprising speed. Hayate – they – want to stop it. _Now._

And yet it still wasn't their turn to move. The five Excel Raptor units: Song, Selphie, Yuki, Mother and Daemon have already assembled themselves at the teleportation pad and were now just moments away from deployment. Back in the past when the Huckebeins were still loose, the research team has managed to create an almost-sentient Artificial Intelligence core that could control multiple mass-produced humanoid battle machines called Raptors for combative purposes. Now 'her' name is Gaia, and she was assigned to control exactly five special combat units called Excel Raptors whose specs and capabilities far exceeded those of normal Raptors. They were to act as guards for Hayate's team and acquire as much information as possible about Grey Christmas.

Hayate had disliked the idea. Despite the fact that the battle machines boasted an ultra-long range communications device – which meant that Gaia would be able to control them from at least a couple of worlds away – it was still possible that the Excel Raptors could be jammed and be completely useless once they got inside of Grey Christmas . Worse, Gaia herself might become corrupted, and as much as she would like to, Hayate simply did not have the strength to extend to anyone else Reunion's protection. She's not even sure how connecting to an AI's heart would be.

But it was also the _only _insurance Hayate has if her team was to enter Grey Christmas safely. What's the point if they made it in successfully only to be bombarded to death a second later? If they sent in the Raptors first, and if there's any kind of ambush, then at least the Raptors would be the one taking the brunt of fire. Hayate had intended – _intends_ – that every single one of her friends make it out alive from the disaster. No one will die today. No one.

"Ma'am, they're moving in."

A solemn voice whispered just to her right, and Hayate turned to see that it was Teana.

"Finally. Can we have them on – ah, there we go."

The forty inch wide monitor right above her head buzzed into life, and Hayate stared at the row of ferocious looking battle machines hanging a few thousands of meters above ground and right underneath the _Claudia's_ hull. Entry through teleportation was impossible, or at least unsafe until they knew exactly what's underneath that disgusting red membrane. So instead, the _Claudia_'s going to blast a hole right through the liquid red and drop the battle machines from there. The plan had sounded simple.

"Do you think they'll be functional?"

"Since we're supposing that the red exterior is what's jamming the signals, theoretically speaking blasting a hole through it should open up room for the communication channels to work. And I'm sure hope they're right, since that'll mean a lot less trouble for us when we get in," Hayate answered.

"That thing heals though. I'm worried whether this ship's battery would hold up," Teana muttered.

"Well, the _Claudia _will have to suffer gravity just this once. The plan was to get in, do whatever we have to do, and get out quick. A drop in from the air is the quickest – not to mention safer – way."

"I know. It's just –" Teana pulled at her own hair irately, "I have a stupid question. Why can't we just destroy it the moment it showed up?"

Hayate was surprised. Teana was one of the few very close friends she has despite the rather little amount of contact in between missions and holidays, and she had both enjoyed and appreciated their friendship very much. It wasn't like Teana was very good under pressure, or that she never exploded like blooming fireworks when they're drinking in the bar, but it was rare to hear condemn someone… or _something _to death so easily.

Not that Grey Christmas doesn't deserve such an end.

"I have a somewhat long-winded example, if you don't mind listening to."

"Sure. We still have a minute after all," Teana looked at her with a dubious look. Hayate smiled and waved her palm slightly to reassure her friend.

"A single world in invaded by aliens. Their numbers far exceed the people themselves, and each one of the monster are capable of immeasurable destruction singlehandedly. They also reproduce at an impossibly fast rate. Almost all the countries were destroyed except the strongest and luckiest. The humans should've been doomed to a quick death, but instead the aliens acted stupidly and attacked in predictable patterns again and again, allowing the remaining humans to survive and fight back. Now, the question,"

She raised a finger, "What would you do to defeat them permanently, Enforcer Teana, should you be in charge of the final defense against the aliens?"

Teana frowned against the unrealistic sci-fi question, but she gave it a thought and answered seriously, "Research powerful weapons, study their weakness, attack their main command if they have one, or lure them into a trap for repeated sweeping? I'm not sure, Hayate, you need to be more specific."

"It's okay; I've already made my point. Your answers are all correct, but you left out the most important one: to communicate with them."

"Ah…"

Teana caught on her meaning quickly, and Hayate gave the Enforcer an encouraging nod, "That's right. If we don't understand them, we won't know their purpose. We won't know what they are, whether negotiation is possible, or even what we knew as 'killing' actually worked against them. Sometimes, ignorance is about as bad as intentional evil, or worse."

Hayate looked at the web of red lurking across the streets of Cranagan and narrowed her eyes, "And we can't afford to be ignorant. Not this time."

The two of them went silent for a while, both mood and dialogues exhausted for the time being as they stared intensely at the screen. There was nothing more to be said, there was a million things they needed to do. For now, their job is to wait. A job Hayate secretly wished that it could be stalled forever.

But their time was up.

"_System all green and batteries fully charged! Claudia FX-11 Phoenix Cannon firing in 10, 9, 8, 7…"_

The commander held both her fists together, and clenched. If the Excel Raptors worked, then her team might not need to move in and thus ensuring the safety of all their lives, but all of her sacrifices would amount to nothing. And yet Hayate had this nagging presentiment that the Excel Raptors would _not _work, or at least would not function in a way that they expect. Perhaps it was the disheartening figures in the past, perhaps it was Nanoha, or it might even be that horrible vision of gore that haunted her dreams to this day. But somehow, as if guided by a branch of malignant fate, Hayate simply knew that they would have to go no matter what.

It was inevitable.

"… _3, 2, 1. Fire!"_

The cannon roared, and the floor shook mightily from beneath everyone's feet. The groans and screeches of pressurized metal yawned into Hayate's ears, as she held herself steady with a handrail, her eyes never leaving the monitor at the slightest. The blue beam of death punched through air and smashed right against the growing membrane, was actually held back for a frightening second before it went through with the ease of hot knife against butter. Even as her own heart leaped against the small success, Hayate could hear the cheers roaring from all around her.

"Yeaaaahhh! We did it! Way to go _Claudia_!"

"This isn't over, you know?"

"Oh c'mon Tea, don't be such a spoilsport! Smile with me – smiiiiiiile!"

"Stap! Donya puu at ma cheeeeek! Stap it!"

"_Hit confirmed, Phoenix Cannon has punched a hole right through the Red Shroud. We are ready for the next phase, over."_

"_Permission granted. Countdown at one minute, Amy; we have no time to lose."_

"_Yes sir! Counting down. 60, 59, 58…"_

For the first time Hayate allowed her glance to leave the screen with a sigh of relief, and she turned to look at the surroundings. The only occupants in the hanger right now would be she and her team, and so far everyone were looking decidedly happy. Certainly Signum still held a grim line over a jaw, Caro wearing an unexpectedly serious look, the Numbers looking like nothing could faze them short of a dimensional rupture, but all in all it was a good sign. They needed the good news. They needed something to go their way, and for far too long things have not been going the way Hayate had wished. This at least, this –

" – I don't like this."

"!?"

Hayate spun around at the voice resounding unexpectedly from behind her back. It took her a full second to register the fact that it was Nanoha who had spoken towards her, except that her voice was so low and grim that it couldn't possibly have been.

"Na… Nanoha?"

The brunette raised her head, and those haunted eyes shot holes into Hayate's heart, "You've felt it too, right Hayate? That thing's playing with us. Inviting us in. We should get ready."

Nanoha began to brush past her, and Hayate had to raise an arm and block the woman, "W – wait. What do you mean? "

"I have been suspecting it for a long time, Hayate. And now that it has showed up, I am certain."

"What are you talking about? How did you – "

"_On that day,_" Hayate froze. Her hands felt cold, her brain couldn't process what she was hearing. There was so much hate in those simple words that it was hard to believe, "Vita and the others failed to get through the shroud despite their best efforts. The Legendary Admirals killed by a unexplainable fit of madness. The help that wouldn't mobilize to save the dying city. _You couldn't get in because it wouldn't let you. _And all of it – _all of it_… was to trap me and Fate. And now it has come back for _us._"

Nanoha brushed a tip of her finger at Raising Heart, and the intelligent device transformed for battle with a quick but silent affirmative, "Thankfully, Fate isn't here, and this time I am not alone. We will destroy it. There is no time to waste."

"Nanoha. Nanoha, calm down. It's bad enough that you have an obvious attachment towards the case, and if you're overreacting now the TSAB might just –"

"_They can try. They will not get in my way."_

The venomous near-growl blew away every noise within the compound, leaving only disbelieving silence. It was only then Nanoha finally woke up from the horrendous thoughts, and tried to laugh off the matter.

"Ah, ahaha, sorry guys, I'm just a little… stressed right now. I'll… go and check the equipment."

She put her head down, ignoring Hayate's hand as she brushed it down lightly and walked away. The former commander could only stare at Nanoha's back, as if she could see the black mass of despair entangling her soul. Was it just her trauma, Hayate wondered numbly, or was it the strings of manipulation, slowly but surely luring them into terrible, inescapable fate?

The Raptors dropped in, thirty seconds later.

The Raptors failed.

* * *

><p>" – Dieci and Sein's got in safely. You and Rein are the only ones left, Captain."<p>

"… Yeah. We're coming."

Hayate broke away from her numerous thoughts, and found her fingers stroking the bone of her staff for the eighteenth time already. One for each member. One for each entry towards hell.

"Mistress… we could still… stay. You know?"

Her little guardian angel whispered from within her breast pocket, her voice too soft to be noticed. And yet she could hear them as clear as a ringing bell. They are very close after all.

"… We could. I guess."

It was a wise choice. A sane one. One that everyone would have approved, after seeing how the Raptors just... Thank god Gaia was fine.

She looked downwards a smiled at her aide, "But then I would look super uncool to run away, won't I? No way in hell I'm going to let Carim tease me for the rest of my life."

"I think… it's okay… if she did. At least…"

_At least you'll be able to see her laugh then._

Hayate stood up from the bench, and stretched mightily. The wind roared against every fiber in her body, and she could hear another transmission urging her to make the leap.

"A tempting offer. But not this time unfortunately. There is someone I'm worried about," Hayate said as she gave her Fortress unit a powerful left right shake.

"Some-_one_?" Rein questioned.

"The other members more or less have made their resolve, and their intentions are no less noble… but Nanoha is different," Hayate answered monotonously as she walked down the runway, "Nanoha is… angry."

Rein shook her head slightly, "I understand what you mean, but if that's your reason to go down there and fight… then you shouldn't. You really shouldn't."

"– – –"

Her feet finally reached the end of the runway, and as the wind blasted full force against her body Hayate looked downwards emotionlessly to watch a sea of red, lava-like slime, writhing as if it was alive. At the current rate of its growth, she would have to activate the hidden devices surrounding the perimeter of Cranagan very soon. In fact, she should probably trigger them right now, except that doing it abroad the _Claudia _was an absolute no, considering that she didn't exactly acquire them through 'proper' methods. Ideally she would like to activate the devices at the exact moment she passed through the blast hole on top of the red shroud, but there's no telling how far the jamming interference could reach.

"Rein, do you think you can test our comm link five seconds before we pass through the Shroud? I'd like to have my eyes wide open in case something happens."

"… _This is the fifth time you've asked that already, you know?_"

"Rein?"

"… Nothing, Captain. Will do."

"…?" Hayate looked doubtfully at her aide, but Rein kept her head down and had seemingly sunk into deep concentration. What happened? No matter how much the captain tried to wrack her brain, she could not for her life phantom what dampened Rein's mood so suddenly. Hayate could somewhat remember that they were having a conversation, but the minute details seemed to have fled her mind. Just what did they talk about again…?

"– – –"

Hmm? Hayate took a look at the time, and realized that she and Rein were the only ones left at the hanger. She must have dozed on and off the entire time, although luckily no one seemed to have noticed anything strange. Or if they did, there's no way Hayate could tell since she had no memory of it. Still, she really should be moving out. If 'something' happened again Chrono might really call her off, and that was the only thing that she would never allow.

"Dream 1 Hayate Yagami, moving out."

"_Affirmative, Dream 1. Just get your ass out there already, what's taking you so long?"_

"Yes, yes. Man, you're always so grumpy. I better see those champagne on the table when I get back."

Hayate took a deep breath, and looked. Above was the galaxy with its glory of light and darkness, every symbolizing an infinite possibility of hope and despair. Below was the peak of otherworldly among phenomenon, terror and doubt and death awaiting. And yet she felt no fear. No more. All her worries and pain and memories were all but forgotten. No, thrown away for the sake of belief. She did it because it was worth the price. She did it to protect everything. She did it because she was just… selfish. Very selfish.

And ultimately, now faced with the greatest threat Hayate Yagami would ever face, she still did not believe that she was wrong.

"I'm coming for you, Grey Christmas," Hayate whispered.

She jumped.

* * *

><p>Unreal. That was the first word she thought of when Hayate Yagami took in the tainted scenery dyed completely by Grey Christmas. She meant it literally too, because absolutely everything, as far as she could see, was completely dyed in red color. The cars, the buildings, the plants, even the tiniest pebble or soil was blood red as sin. Hayate dimly recalled a game from Earth titled, 'The Unfinished Swan' where the child protagonist, in search for his missing painted swan, had started out his bizarre adventure in a completely white painted world. Too bad she doesn't have a magic brush that could squirt colors and lighten up her group's sight.<p>

"Ugh… What in the world is this? Sankt Kaiser protect us…" Schach clamped a hand over her mouth tightly, trying to hold in revulsion.

"I'll be honest upfront, 'kay? I don't think I can stand this. If we don't find whatever it is we're trying to find quick, I won't be able to fight. Uguehhh!" Wendi gave up her dignity right after she finished the sentence and vomited on the ground. The weak-bellied woman's antics immediately produced a chain reaction among her people, and as bad as it was to waste such pointless energy before the mission had even started, Hayate herself was close to giving in to the reflexive impulse.

There were already quite a number of people in her team looking as pale as a ghost, and while surprisingly enough Caro was the one who held a pretty strong front against this oppressing view – she wondered briefly if Caro was accustomed to feeding her dragon raw meat – Hayate understood all too keenly that the assignment had to end as soon as possible. No living person could function properly too long under this crazy, mind distorting sight.

Hayate sneaked a glance at Nanoha. The brunette looked completely unconcerned – or even noticed – about the others wellbeing, and was staring towards a distance at particularly nowhere. There was a gleam in those blue purple eyes so cold and calculated and… and so _her _that it sent icy shivers down her spine. Even though it had been so long after the first Grey Christmas, Nanoha never managed to bring herself up to talk about the incident, and it was ironically Fate who had given a full account on exactly what happened when they were trapped before ultimately succumbing to the unexplainable sickness. But even then it was only one side of the story, the truth. Hayate wondered if there was a connection. Hayate had no time for phantom worries.

She clapped her hands once to gather everyone's attention, "Okay guys, keep it down, we're at enemy territory here!"

"Good. Now, before we get moving, there are a few things I'd like to tell you guys. So first, we will not be splitting into groups as discussed before: instead, we will all move towards the center together, then spread out later. The reason is simple: We don't have a clue what's out there, and it would be safer if we split only after we've reached the designated location.

The second thing is more trivial, but I'd like to avoid using codenames when we call out to each other during the mission. We are not fighting against humans, or at least something that could be called as one. It is of the utmost importance that we remain rational throughout the mission, and in this… environment, I believe that would at least help out if something happened. Do you all agree?"

For a moment, murmurs broke out among the elites as they discussed briefly what Hayate pretty sure was about the most basic of tactical negligence; she herself didn't think it was too good of an idea. But to her surprise, everyone began to nod one by one, and even her dazing friend turned to look in her eyes with silent agreement. They trusted her tactical sense and intuition.

She had better not screw this up. Hayate turned away, and casually hid her shivering hands into the pockets, though she doubted anyone but her family would notice or care – not with the right reasons in mind, anyway. The brunette took one step forwards and paused, looking up towards the huge black hole carved above the blood red sky.

"Good. We're a kilometer away from our destination; it should be a fifteen minutes' walk at most. Let's go," Hayate said.

* * *

><p>"It is possible that the Excel Raptors are observing from nearby, and although I doubt whatever's behind Grey Christmas would need to do that, the chances are there."<p>

"_Common sense dictates that we spend a little time to eliminate them so to secure our backs. What do you think?"_

"Move on. Even with Reunion's ability we are unable to detect the rogue machines, and god knows if the 'little' delay will kill us. Deal with the threat if they show up, but otherwise just proceed with the mission."

"_Easy for you to say, but I concur. Keep me notified if there's anything strange, ye Reunion? And Chrono, do keep a close monitor on our foot progress as we trek towards the center; I've a feeling that things won't be as straightforward as it seems."_

"Ye?"

"_It's either that or 'da Lele'. Like the new nick?"_

"Ye is fine."

"_Good. Dream 1 out."_

Reunion slumped back into his seat with a sigh, slightly annoyed but kind of relieved that the brief talk was over. While acting as a living communicator didn't tax him nearly enough to tire, talking to Hayate was _always_ stressful. Chrono smiled understandingly from behind his back and said, "Good job holding back. From what I've heard, the little chats usually escalate into painfully long-winded arguments, which wasn't something we could really afford right now."

"At the moment I have twenty lives tied to the center of my heart, mind and soul literally. That usually makes you a little more moody and antisocial," Reunion replied snappily, before realizing that it could be a bad idea to vent his frustrations at a TSAB Admiral. Hayate's lack of proper dignity had done awful things to his self-control.

But Chrono remained patient and amiable, "You could've easily turned her down. You know she would not force you. Didn't you do it because you love her?"

Reunion shook his head almost immediately, "No. I do love her as a mother, but it's not nearly enough to make me risk my soul. It's just that… I grew curious about Grey Christmas."

Chrono looked at him with a disbelieving and cautious look, "That is interesting. What is it?"

Reunion fell silent. To be honest, the boy wasn't quite sure himself what he was expecting from the disaster. A year ago he would never have considered putting his life at risk, much less getting involved in a suicide mission trying to defuse an unknown and crazy deadly phenomenon. But when the first Grey Christmas struck and he, an innocent victim caught in the middle of everything, Reunion still vividly remembered how _that_ mysterious, powerful sensation welled up inside him like a tsunami, and it –

… He couldn't remember. Everything after that was pure darkness.

"… I'm not sure. I'm simply hoping that Hayate might find the answers along the way, if possible. It is however, not important right now," Reunion finally answered.

"Maybe. Right now though the priority is to discover the source of Grey Christmas… I'm going to check on Amy for a while; tell me if anything happens okay?" Chrono put a hand briefly on the kid's shoulders before walking away. Apparently the young man read the mood and decided that he could use some time alone, and while Reunion wouldn't have mind it either way, he was once again treated to the lesson on how perceptive Hayate's friends can be when they choose to. Almost a little _too _perceptive for his liking. Or maybe for all of his magic and wisdom, in the end he's just a nine years old kid and pretty bad with people. Man, he _really_ should stop poking his nose into somebody else's business.

_[– – – ]_

"Hmm?!"

For the slightest of second, Reunion felt a jolt of… _something_ slipping right through his network. It could be danger, or it could be something as simple as nerves after sitting for a prolonged amount of time. Whatever it was, he immediately dived into the system and began scanning for any signs of discrepancy.

But there was nothing.

"… I guess it's just nerves."

He almost believed his own words. Amidst the utter quietness that permeated throughout the web of hearts, his instincts screeched so loudly that he swore there something was hidden right around the corner just waiting for him to let his guard down. And yet he could find nothing. He waited on for ten more minutes before Chrono finally came and shook him out of the trance.

Maybe it really was just nerves.

* * *

><p><em>Zaa. Zaa.<em>

She walked past a red lamp post while keeping her eyes looking straight ahead. There were members of her unit scouting at the furthermost front as there were members of her unit cautiously guarding their back, and her in the middle of it all, walking.

_Zaa. Zaa. Zaa._

_Zaa._

"Okay, that's it, everybody halt!"

Hayate raised both her hands and stopped everyone dead at their tracks. She looked at their faces and got mixed reactions from mildly concerned to strong frustration, but it was obvious that at the moment, they all shared one unspeakable emotion that threatened to choke whatever life out of them.

Hayate mentally brought up the heart's network and asked curtly, "Reunion. How far have we travelled?"

"_As far as I can tell, you're halfway there, and that's only because I can see the Statue of Sankt Kaiser to your left. The computers are going completely nuts here."_

"Are you _sure_ our senses are completely fine? That whatever's at work is of external factor?"

"_Yes. I don't know what it is; maybe the ground is being extended, maybe everything just goes slower inside the shroud, it could be anything. I really can't tell."_

"Fifteen minutes' walk," Hayate muttered to herself darkly. The estimation had been rather optimistic, but Hayate didn't realize just how _off_ the calculation was. They have been walking for an hour straight, and by all means they should've arrived at their destination since a long time ago. The brunette glared at the direction they're headed, her view not reaching far enough for her to decide properly with buildings standing in the way. They had tried scouting from above a tall flat and everything had seemed fine then, but things were obviously wrong the moment they started towards the center again: _The distance just wasn't right. _She has to decide now whether or not to continue the journey on foot – thus risking the loss of an hour – or fly, though the risk of being sniped was all too real. Urgency versus caution, and both so direly needed that it felt like a knife at the back for not able to take both.

But she was not unfamiliar with these kinds of situations. _Especially_ these kinds of situations.

"… Okay. Subaru, Ginga; use Wing Road to create a path and follow behind the flyers. Sein, Otto; pair up with either one of them and guard their backs. The four of you will form the core defense against snipe from grounds. Dieci with Wendi; Nove and Cinque with Caro; and everyone else keep the same formation on the skies. Get it?"

"Roger!" Everyone began moving towards their respective positions, and Hayate sighed as she took the brief moment to ponder her next move. The brunette hasn't forgotten about the Excel Raptors, and even though they were told before the exact capabilities of those machines, anything could happen in a battlefield. This decision of hers might be the exact moment they were waiting for to make an attack. However, she'll be damned if she'd let the enemy take them down with such a simple ambush. She glanced meaningfully at her knights as they easily understood the message, and nodded. Now there was just one last thing she needed to deal with.

"Nanoha. Lead the front –"

"…"

"_Nanoha._"

"Ah – yes, sorry. What is it?" The brunette looked at her with mist in her eyes. Hayate understood that to even be here could be a traumatic experience for Nanoha, but losing focus was simply _not _acceptable in this mission.

"Just what is it that's bugging you? You've been in and out like this ever since we're here!" Hayate said with mild irritation.

"I… I don't know. I… _think_ there's something out there that I can't ignore… Maybe even _someone._ It's just a feeling, but I… I'm not sure," Nanoha answered with cloudy doubt scribbled all over her face. Hayate realized with a start that the brunette might very well have a lead onto something, and cursed herself silently for not questioning her behavior earlier.

"That sounds pretty important. Do we have a direction? Where should we go?"

"I… don't know. For now, I think we should just continue towards the center," Nanoha said.

"Okay," Hayate turned away and waved her hand upwards. At once Subaru and everyone else began to take flight, with the exception of the Wolkenritters keeping a watchful eye at the surroundings, and surprisingly Yuuno with a stern look on his face. He walked towards Nanoha as she looked at him quizzically.

"Nanoha… You can rely on us, and we'll do everything we can to help you, _especially_ when you're in trouble... just like you did it for us. So," he gave her a huge smile and continued, "Don't force yourself, okay?"

Her friend was still looking slightly dark and uncertain, but in the end she returned the smile and raised both her arms while yelling, "Okay! Sorry for the trouble guys! All drinks are on me when we're done with the mission, eh?!"

"Ohh! I want a Martini!"

"If you'd please buy the food too – Ow!"

"Now now, we don't want to get too greedy do we, Subaru?"

"Ehehe…" Nanoha scratched her head and laughed a bit, and Hayate couldn't help but smile herself. Before Yuuno had intervened she had wanted to ask for Nanoha's permission and let Reunion probe around her mind, but… _I guess I don't need to._ Not wanting to waste any more time, the brunette lifted her right arm once more and ordered, "Okay. Everyone rea –"

And then it happened.

"_To your left!"_

"Ugh!?"

There was a bang, a groan, and Cinque falling sideways while clutching a bloody shoulder before Nove caught her reflexively with a stunned look on her face. Before Hayate's brain could even compute the situation Vita already leaped towards the sky while roaring on the top of her lungs, "Snipers from above! _Scatter already!_"

Then they began to move, then they began to spread out, and all the sudden shots were being fired all over the place. _A bullet storm, _she thought_._ Hayate barely raised her own shields before a few bullets pinged off the hasty defense, and suddenly the brunette realized just how badly she had misjudged the situation. Mistake number one, because they were trapped within the red shroud she had completely forgotten that the sky was still an excellent place for camouflage and hiding. Mistake number two, even with the bloody Book of the Silver Cross incident in her list of military experience, she had never expected her enemies to actually use Physical Weapons in combat, technology for_ her own home world_, and it was so humiliating it was all she could do not to scream in frustration.

"Mistress, jump!" Rein yelled into her ears, and Hayate did not hesitate to bounce into mid-air as jet black wings exploded into existence and lifted her further, narrowly dodging another storm of deadly lead that would've punched through her head and killed her instantly. The Fortress could take a bomb to the face and not have a scratch. The Fortress however most certainly could not move fast enough to defend her adequately when shots were firing from every possible angle, and these bullets hit powerful enough to buckle her arms. Heavy enough to shake her knees and chatter her teeth. _What's wrong with these shots? It's like someone's shooting tank rounds at us!_

"Tch! Rein!?"

"I have your back, just get us out of range!"

"What range? I can't even see who's attacking us! We'll use that building as cover!"

A surge of incredible energy channeled deep into her wings, and with a blast of ferocious wind Hayate dove backwards towards the nearest window. With the entire city vacated most of not all of the houses where either shut tight or even barricaded, but she wouldn't need to worry about crashing herself into a pool of squish with Rein around. She just needed a few seconds to cool down, a few seconds to analyze the situation –

She saw it. Five seconds before impact. She saw through Rein's eyes a huge mass of round steel screeching death from behind. She saw through her own a huge mass of round steel screeching death from the front. The Fortress had split into parts automatically to protect against both attacks, but if a round half the size of a finger could rattle her defenses, what about one at least fifty times its size could do? Her shield is useless, and she's going to die. She's going to die. Rein is going to die. Rein –

"– _Parallel Processing" "– Double Speed Casting" "– Blaster Three"_

Her head stung almost instantly with excruciating pain, but she did not let down her concentration. Immediately her sworn partner swung around to face her, not even caring for the danger anymore as her mouth distorted into a scream, but Hayate did not stop. She could _never _stop.

"– _Double Holding Net" "– Circle Protection" "– __Heimdall Phalanx Shift__"_

In an instant three different spells of different qualities, one to slow and one to defend and one to attack flashed into existence to shut down with all their strength the immediate threat. Already the Holding Net was stretched to its limits and the magical barrier – combined with the Fortress' shields – showing signs inevitable collapse, but her final spell was still channeling; the two shards of deadly ice circling around her body wasn't yet big and strong enough to completely shatter the threat. She has to be faster, faster, _faster goddammit_ –

"_Hayate, don't do it!"_

"_Quadruple Speed Casting! Mauls of silver, destroy my enemies!"_

Detonation. The pieces of ice swelled five times its size with impossible speed and exploded towards the incoming projectiles, and the world detonated in a multitude of blue and red and black. Amidst all the confusion, Hayate had never forgotten to grab on to Rein, never forgotten to keep the remaining Fortress bits raised as she mentally conjured another shield to deflect stray projectiles as she boosted her wings and flew straight towards the cover. Almost now, almost! Five seconds, four seconds, we're almost safe, alm –

* * *

><p>Reunion crumbled from his chair and began shivering uncontrollably, his face a pale sheen of ghost white as he struggled very hard not to throw up. All at once nearby TSAB personnel swarmed at his location with concern, but thankfully Chrono quickly jumped in and pushed open sufficient breathing space. It took him three long minutes – each felt as long as an hour – before he could stand, and another three before he finally managed enough strength to mutter just three, heartfelt words:<p>

"Fuck you, Hayate."

* * *

><p>"… <em>nev… up!? This... your respo…!"<em>

"_Sto… Mistre… nobody cou…"_

Voices. Familiar voices speaking and arguing and pulling at her against the deep, dark hole Hayate was in. The moment she reached for the voices intense pain struck at the very core of her heart, and she fell back stunned and in pain. She was scared. She understood that pain like never before crouched just behind the protective veil of darkness, waiting to pounce at her and eat her whole. She could not fight it, there was nothing in the world Hayate Yagami could do to stop it, and therefore she chose to shy away. To hide. To cower at the furthest edge on consciousness praying that it would go away. That was the best thing she could do, that was the _only _thing she wanted to do. Away. Away.

"_Dammit… know that! It's… I… Uu… Hayate…"_

_Don't cry. _She felt her eyebrow knitting into an unpleasant frown. _Hayate. Who is Hayate? I am. She_ is Hayate Yagami, Last Mistress of the Book of the Night Sky, former commander of Special Duty Section 6, friend of Nanoha, girlfriend of Yuuno, family to Rein, to Signum, to Vita, to Shamal, to Zafira… and mother of Reunion. She was so many things. She was so tired of it. She was so, so tired of everything.

"_She… alive… must treat… abandon the mission…"_

_No. No you musn't. _Before Hayate knew it, she was rising against the dark blanket of comfort, and even as she clawed towards the surface pain was attacking with an intensity she had never known possible. Why is it? What is this mission? Why was she willing to suffer so much pain all for the sake of a mission she could not remember? She didn't know. She swam up anyway. She had a feeling that she didn't come this far just to cower in sleep. She most _definitely _did not suffer all these for nothing in return. Hayate Yagami was a selfish woman after all, and right now she needed them as much as they needed her. The light is near, and this time, she will make it!

"_Hayate… Hayate, wake up, please… wake up!"_

* * *

><p>"– – – Aaaah! Haah! Haah! Haah!"<p>

Hayate broke through the fog and woke up screaming, panting, covered in cold sweat and generally felt like a ninety years old granny in need of some serious sleep. The eternal type, considering how every fiber in her body – especially her _head, god damn bloody Kaiser – _felt like they're on fire. But they needed her. They needed her, and so she would not die. Not yet. Her sleep can come later.

"Hayate?!"

At once several shadows bulldozed right into her view, and Hayate very nearly flinched because of the sudden movement, but she did not. She was too weak to do anything anyway.

"Wait stay that range, give her some air to breathe. Hayate, can you hear me? Give me a response, any response at all."

This time a blurry face bobbed carefully into view, and it took her a good moment before her sight finally cleared. Yellow-colored hair, a pair of smart looking spectacles and gem green eyes that had caught her heart since immemorial time.

"Yuuno Scrya," Hayate croaked, "The love of my life."

The said lover immediately turned red at the sudden exclamation before coughing sheepishly with a hand over his head, "Er, okay, _ahem,_ you're fine. Now let's have a different response instead. How many fingers I'm holding up?"

But before she could answer, the pony-tailed young man suddenly flew out of the way as a fiery red figure shoved him aside rudely, "Ei, enough with the love stories! Hayate, are you okay!? You looked like you're in so much pain, I – I was so _worried –_"

Panic mode Vita; a sight Hayate wasn't so unfamiliar with considering how many times she managed to get herself injured. In fact now that she watched closely, everyone looked so haggard with fear that they looked five years their age. The guilt that she seemed to have forgotten ages ago resurfaced like a tidal wave of tsunami, and she had to exert a great deal of physical energy to suppress that feeling. _I'm sorry Vita, but this is not the time._ Hayate coughed once while climbing upwards, and immediately she was surrounded by concerned figures lending a helping hand. The brunette took the time to count their numbers: Signum and Agito, looking a little worn out by the battle but otherwise unhurt; Shamal and Yuuno were completely fine; Vita battle garb looked cut at several places but her wounds were already healed; and finally there was Rein.

"Rein…" Hayate could only stare restlessly at her aide's unmoving back; the Unison Device did not seem to have moved a muscle ever since she woke up. Even now Hayate could still remember the voice that had screamed for her to stop, to not use the forbidden spells… And how she had ignored it completely and went against her wishes.

Again.

"Rein… I'm…"

"I was so angry."

"Huh?"

Rein continued speaking as if she couldn't hear her, "I could not change your mind. You are my Mistress, my creator, my Mother, and certainly I have no rights to even try. So I thought that at least I would protect you against all dangers… but it turned out to be the opposite. You got hurt to protect me, again, and I couldn't do _anything _to protect you."

Fifteen seconds into the conversation and things were already heading towards a downwards spiral. Hayate wavered on her feet as she made to move towards the girl, "Rein, you would've done the same for me. It's just – I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done it, but…"

"Perhaps," Rein finally turned around, and Hayate found herself unable to speak, "I am weak, Mistress. I'm _useless. _Forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me…"

She has seen her tiny partner cried many times before, had cried along with her many times, but not once has Hayate ever seen such a _look _on her face. Rein looked so frightened, so transient, so _sad _that at once Hayate knew that she had made an, irreversible mistake. There was no way she could've cut corners when they were caught off guard before, when it had meant either to live or die, but it was regardless a mistake that she never should have done. What should she do? Comfort her? Hug her? Chide her? What _could _she do? The brunette wondered if this was what it meant to be utterly paralyzed by indecision. Indecision and fear. So when Zafira finally stepped in she had never felt more filled with relief,

"As much as I believe that you should talk this out slowly, we really don't have much time left. It is three hours away from the 25th, and the Seven Walls isn't going to hold out much longer."

"Three hours – _what? What did you just say?_"

Zafira looked at Hayate uncomfortably as if unsure whether he should answer, "Mistress… you were out for at least twenty hours. We've tried to wake you."

_I was out for twenty hours?_ Twenty?Her temple throbbed painfully at the terrible news, but Hayate forced herself to ignore the pain and focus on the issue, "Get me up to speed as quickly as possible. What happened?"

Zafira began explaining. Shortly after her blackout, The Wolkenritters and Yuuno had managed to break through the ambush and immediately rushed towards her side, in response to Rein's desperate call for help. Somehow, in the midst of the confusion, they had become separated with the rest of the squad, but luckily Reunion's Heart Link still worked, and after a short discussion they quickly worked up a plan towards regrouping with the others.

"… And then it happened," Zafira said vaguely with a frown.

"Be clear," Hayate urged him carefully, but Zafira couldn't seem to find the words to describe it. Finally Signum stepped into the conversation and summed up the direness of the situation simply, "We cannot find anyone no matter what we do. It's like they've just disappeared."

"That is impossible," Hayate responded immediately, "We have Reunion. We can find them no matter where they are, even in Grey Christmas –"

"Hayate. Do you still remember how we've walked for a whole hour, but still not reaching the center?" Yuuno asked gently.

"… Continue."

"It is as Yuuno said," Zafira answered quietly, "Although with a little difference: Every time we seem to reach someone, they – or we, I'm not sure – were… _moved _to a different location. That's what the Heart's network told us, even though we felt no such phenomenon occurring. Everyone tried again and again to meet up with someone, anyone at all, but… we just couldn't."

"And the original objective? No one thought of continuing towards the center?" Hayate asked.

"We were met with same results."

"Then we should've just retreated. Even if the hole before is closed, why didn't you just ask for _Claudia _– no, wait, you don't mean…?"

"Yes," Zafira answered in a sober tone, "As you have predicted, four hours after the mission has started, _Claudia_once again fired its cannon in attempt to forcibly open a path. It did not work. We are… completely trapped inside Grey Christmas."

Hayate fought down a hysterical urge to cry. So they were ambushed, then separated, were kept separated by some unexplainable magic – _if_ it's even magic at all – and finally trapped in this horrible world of red unable to move forward or retreat. The situation seemed hopeless, _is _hopeless, but as the captain of the squad she cannot stop thinking, for if she did then they would truly die. There must be a way. She needed more information.

"You mentioned about the Seven Walls," Hayate closed her eyes in attempt to get a break from the depressing red, "That means that Grey Christmas must've tried to expand beyond the boundary of Relic we've set around Cranagan. How long have it lasted? How much longer can it last?"

"The Wall's held up for ten hours, but it wouldn't be for much longer. The TSAB ships are currently reinforcing it with their own power supply, but that is not the problem."

"It's going to break under extreme stress soon. Okay. What else?"

Zafira hesitated, "Reunion has requested that you contact him as soon as you wake up. He is… tired after spending the last few hours trying to heal you."

"Reunion," Hayate suddenly felt her blood ran cold, "Was he hurt? The spells, they require incredible mental processing to execute, and if the stress passed on to him then – I'm sorry, please give me a second."

Within seconds Hayate had opened herself to the Heart's network and immediately she called out,

_[Reunion? You there?]_

_[… Oh. It's you.]_

_[You were asking for me, and I was going to find you anyway, so – are you alright?]_

_[I can't believe you dared to ask me that question after that stunt you pulled.]_

She had no excuse. Even though death usually counts as a legitimate reason, at the moment Hayate didn't feel like arguing. She apologized sincerely,

_[I didn't think to close off the connection; there wasn't time… I'm sorry.]_

_[I know, it's just that… Haah, forget about it. Anyway, as you should already know we don't have much time. Head towards the center and group up with the others.]_

_[Huh? But I thought we couldn't move?]_

_[You woke up, so it should be fine. Remember what Nanoha said about Grey Christmas; as if it has its own consciousness? It's just a hunch, but I believe that she's right, and this time it's targeting you.]_

"Holy mother of –"" "What? Why didn't you tell us sooner!?" "It can't be…" "Calm down; all of you. We have faced worse dangers than this." "…"

If she pretended that she did not notice the chilling silence that hovered menacingly over a certain moody bunch in her group, then the usual noisy responses did give some semblances of relief to the brunette, even if it did not change the fact that Hayate too was unnerved by the declaration.

_[That is new. I'm guessing there're only a few people who knew about this?]_

_[You would've been dead otherwise, since most of the TSAB officials are cowards. Anyway, back to the point. So, conveniently enough, the last trace of our missing Ace, Nanoha Takamachi's signal seemed to be around the Cranagan Battle Stadium, which is also one of the sites at the center point of Cranagan. So you are to –]_

_[Wait,] _Hayate interrupted suddenly; she must've heard wrong there, _[What do you mean, Nanoha's missing?]_

_[… They didn't tell you?]_

Her hands turned numb with cold,_ [That's impossible. She's on the Heart's network; you said that no matter where a person is, as long as they're –]_

_[Listen to me, Hayate. I've tried everything I can, but right now I just can't find her… Usually when someone goes missing on my radar, I label them as _dead, but –_]_

_No. No. Not again. _Hayate choked and stumbled backwards upon hearing those words, and if Vita wasn't supporting her back she would've collapsed there and then. Reunion started yelling,

_[I said USUALLY. And BUT. Nanoha is alive, okay?! I could still feel her faintly, but just couldn't pinpoint a location. For now. Get a hold of yourself!]_

_[I… know. Next time, _phrase_ your words… _better._]_

_[Fine, sorry… Anyway, as I've said before, you need to make towards the center at these coordinates. The plan is simple: Get there, wait for my signal, and fire your most powerful spell towards the sky. We'll do the same from here and pierce this annoying Shroud from both sides at once. But until then, do something like er, find Nanoha and investigate the source. Got it?]_

_[… Yes.]_

_[Good. Also, do _not _access the Heart's network until I allow you too, okay? We absolutely cannot risk you fainting for an entire day again.]_

_[Yes.]_

Reunion promptly cut off the communication, and at once Hayate felt a tremendous wave of exhaustion sweeping from under her feet. Vita and Shamal immediately placed a firm grip onto her waist and steadied her feet, but the brunette shook her head slowly and gently pulled away. She didn't want to slow anyone down.

"So? Are we going now?" Agito asked as she hovered and sat onto Signum's shoulders.

"Schwertkreuz," Hayate whispered. The golden staff descended slowly with wisps of white, and with a quick swipe she grabbed it firmly in her palm and stabbed it to the ground. Her Fortress armor was gone, but that didn't matter. The captain stared grimly into everyone's eyes, one by one, not as a show of power but one that embodied determination. Even though they would be walking into an obvious trap, not a single one of them showed any signs of fear, and so she had to be strong as well. For them.

Finally the brunette shifted her eyes towards Rein, and the latter shied away for an instant before meeting her gaze. Hayate understood that it would take time to heal the wrongs and wounds between them, and unfortunately time was the one thing they couldn't have now. So instead, she raised her hand calmly and spoke,

"Rein. Unison with me."

"Huh?"

"There are a million words I need to say to you," Hayate said with all her heart, "And there are a million feelings that I want to share with you too. But I'm an idiot, so this is the only way I could tell you my feelings. Unison with me, Rein."

Rein looked moved, but lines of hesitation still scarred the most of her expression, "But Mistress, I don't deserve –"

Hayate interrupted without waiting for her to finish, "I did not regret my earlier actions, Rein. I will do it again if I have to, because _I love you_… but at the same time, I don't ever want to see you sad again, and this is one way to do that. So please… be with me."

Rein looked downwards and hid her face underneath the shadows of her hair. For a while neither of them spoke a word, and as Hayate waited patiently for her Device, so did the others. Finally the silver-haired fairy looked up towards her, and broke into a small smile, "I am afraid that I might fail you again... _Hayate_, but… this time, I will protect you. I will protect you no matter what."

Hayate smiled. A heart's wounds never heal easily, and even when they were bonded there would be secrets and darkness that they could not share. But still, it was a step forwards. It was a step that she could look forward to.

They raised both their hands, and felt each other's warmth. Hayate began chanting.

* * *

><p>"… Are you sure it is the right decision not to tell her, Chrono?"<p>

"Let's say we tell her: and then what? She would've been shattered by the news, while still in great danger. I… Even I am…"

"I'm… sorry. I should've done… something."

"_Don't. Apologize._ I'm not sure if I could rein in my feelings if you do that… just don't tell Hayate. Please."

"I won't."

* * *

><p>Hayate felt like she was missing something important, but decided that whatever it was could wait until later. As she flew over yet another wreckage of stones and steel, seemingly remnants of a battle with an unfortunate building caught in between, she found herself wobbling unsteadily due to an almost carnivorous need for sleep. While her head no longer hurts, even the tiniest amount of thinking jolted a fresh surge of exhaustion that could topple her as easily as a drunkard. It was pure torture to stay awake.<p>

"_That's enough for now, Hayate. I'll take over so you just take a nap, okay?"_

"_Ah… thanks, I appreciate it. Call me after ten minutes, okay?"_

"_Yes!"_

So in the end she gave into the temptation – it would be terrible if her exhaustion carried over to the next battle anyway – and began exploiting one of the benefits Unison Mode had to offer. It was a very simple routine. Every ten minutes Hayate would relinquish control over to Rein and rest within the Internal Space, vice versa, though she doubted that her partner would need the nap. However, the brunette was very aware that not only they were making steady progress towards the designated coordinates - which ironically was the Mid-Childan Main Office, a base that she was a little _too_ familiar with – they had encountered absolutely no resistance at all. In fact, there wasn't even a bird, a rat, or even a cockroach to be seen for the entire length of time they've been here.

"Actually…" Signum started hesitatingly at some point of time.

"What is it?" Hayate asked.

"When we were ambushed before, I couldn't actually find anyone… or anything that's attacking us. We need to be more careful."

And that was Signum's greatest understatement of the year. She was _so _going to rub it on her face when they get back home later. Rein had snickered at the stray thought, and the brunette was glad to hear the silver fairy laughing again.

Hayate continued to dream of of demons and monsters when a gentle but persistent nudge pulled her away from the sweet depths of sleep. The brunette opened her eyes to see her aide, and Rein spoke seriously,_ "Hayate. We're there."_

"… _Ahh. Give me a second, will you? I need to arrange my thoughts."_

"_Sure thing."_

Hayate slapped both sides of her cheeks to fight off the drowsiness, and when she was finally ready, the brunette resurfaced into normal consciousness and found herself staring down at the full majestic view of the TSAB Mid-Childan Main Office from a thousand feet above. An incredible number of crimson red skyscrapers stood proudly against the skies as if eager and ready to defy the will of heavens. Multiple layers of physical dome-like structures were built strategically at many corners of the entire site, and while they were virtually unnoticeable and hidden among many other similar-sized buildings, it was said that they could produce a defense powerful enough to withstand at least ten years of siege without so much a dent. And given that the TSAB was founded by the end of a terrible war, Hayate was inclined to believe it even though it contradicted the common sense back on Earth.

Normally there would be a high number of magical shields and ground defenses that covered this level of altitude, instantly showering anyone who came too close with thousands of volts of electricity. And if there was ever such a need, the shields could even be made to disintegrate their enemies on touch, not to mention the barrage of magical bombs that could rain literally fiery hell from ground below. While it may not look like it, the Mid-Childan Main Office was a monstrosity of what you would call an impenetrable super fortress, and with leaders such as the deceased Lieutenant General Regius Gaiz and now the vicious General Rektor Magia, Hayate half expected the Office to fly off the ground and challenge the Headquarters to an all-out duel someday. And by the gods, it might even _win._

"Hayate? Do you have something in mind?" Shamal asked.

"No, I was just thinking how convenient it would be if Rektor Magia is the mastermind behind everything. Too bad," Hayate replied with a bitter smile, and with that she threw away all random thoughts and turned her focus towards her next. She tapped into the channel,

_[Reunion? We're there already. Do you have a specific place in mind that we should head?]_

_[Fifteen minutes? That's fast. Well no, but do find the highest, unobstructed point possible when you ready the spell, and that would be an hour and fifteen minutes later, 2330. For now, find Nanoha.]_

_[How about the others? We have to set a gathering point somewhere.]_

_[You were the closest group to the center, and it'll take the fastest ones at least forty minutes to arrive. Find Nanoha or investigate the source, your choice.]_

_[Speaking of which, let me check on them a little –]_

_[_NO!_]_

The sudden outburst took Hayate completely by surprise, _[What? What are you so angry about?]_

_[No, it's just… you do_ _know that you're_ the_ connector to everyone right? And that your condition is less than green?]_

_[Was it that bad? I'm not really feeling it –]_

_[That's because I'm holding it in check! Do you know even know how much it took for me to stay awake just because I have to handle like 80% of your sleepiness? Without mentioning the other more debilitating symptoms, something like the pain –]_

_[Okay, okay. Sheesh, why am I the only one who has a lousy kid. Dream 1 out.]_

Hayate swept a hand over her hair, and once again she felt a weird sense of feeling passing over her. It's felt as if she's forgetting something very important, and yet no matter how the brunette tried she just couldn't get a hand on the matter. This has never happened before in her life. _What is it, _Hayate thought to herself, _that's bugging me? What... should I realize? That I should know?_

But before she could finish her thoughts, Signum came up to her and said calmly, "Mistress, I would suggest that we start moving and search for our missing princess. This place is huge, and if Nanoha's magical signal was hidden then…"

"Signum's right, so stop brooding like judgment's day and come on already!"

Even Agito was chiding her, and so the brunette finally discarded her thoughts and replied doubtfully, "Y – yeah. You're right. Let's see now…"

Surely it couldn't be too important.

* * *

><p>"It won't be long before she realizes it."<p>

"… I'm thinking."

"I'm thinking too, and we better think fast because as soon as she realizes that I've been meddling with her thought process, there's no stopping her from doing whatever the hell she wants."

* * *

><p>In the end, after some heated arguments and a unanimous vote of agreement from all sides, Hayate found herself relegated to guard duty and spell preparation at a lonely corner on top of the skies, with Shamal and Yuuno providing support and aiding the search right beside her. Firing Ragnarok at her maximum strength wouldn't even take more than a minute, or forty three point seven seconds to be precise. This is abuse!<p>

"_If you can say forcing an overworked, uncooperative patient to rest is abuse, that is."_

"_Shush."_

That being said, it _was_ a good chance to rest her body and mind, and while she and Rein were made for each other to be in Unison Mode for extended periods of time was tiring. It would also give her time to think through that little weird feeling she had before –

"H – Hayate!"

"What? What is it?"

The brunette quickly did a three-sixty at Shamal's exclamation and looked over their immediate surroundings, but she couldn't see anything resembling an attack. The healer quickly cleared up the misunderstanding, "No, it's not an attack. I'm just… er, want to talk to you about something."

"Okay…?" Hayate asked suspiciously. Shamal was acting very odd and her cramped smile only made things worse. And so the brunette tried to smooth things over with a smile and said, "Take it easy, we've had a long day. What is it do you want to say?"

The healer visibly relaxed, and as she took a deep breath and touched the nape of her neck, she said, "Ah, hmm, where to start off…? How are you feeling now?"

"Bullied. Shamed. You _do _know that all of you are going to miss out my special dinner for an entire week, don't you?"

It was a crude joke, but the shock on Shamal's face coupled with a pair of welling tears immediately caused Hayate to panic, "It was just a joke! Of course I'm going to cook, don't worry!"

Almost immediatel Shamal wiped clean her tears and began smiling mischievously, "I can play the game too if I want, Hayate."

"Hahaha… I must be getting old," Hayate scratched her head in embarrassment, "Anyway, surely you didn't want to ask me just that?"

"No, well, it's just that… there is something I want to know, if possible," Shamal said hesitatingly, before continuing when Hayate nodded, "Do you, erm… have a relationship with Nanoha or something?"

Hayate stared wide-eyed at Shamal for a second before realizing the gravity of the situation, "No. _No_," she exclaimed her denial twice when she felt an intense stare knew it to be Yuuno's, "We are _not _like that. I mean, she has Fate already! Of course I wouldn't get between them!"

"Does that mean that if she doesn't have Fate, you _would_?" Yuuno asked brightly, and contrary to his smile Hayate only felt as cold as blizzard.

"Of course not, I already told you that you're the love of my life! Yuuno!"

"Oops. Sorry," Yuuno laughed good-naturedly, and Hayate could only sigh at the little joke. Guess that there's no help to it when she herself was the biggest prankster in TSAB.

"But... Nanoha and me, huh…" Hayate thought aloud. Shamal looked at her expectantly, and Yuuno's face was once again a mask of warm indifference; he would not interfere with her decision. The brunette thought back to the days when it all started, how Nanoha had come to her crying, how her friend had struck her down to keep her away from danger, how they had finally redeemed their friendship on that –

_[_–––_]_

… Well that's weird, there were some parts of the memories that she could not recall, but no matter, they would come to her later. And even without them, Hayate had always understood why she had driven herself so hard to help Nanoha.

"Do you remember when Liselotte and Aria absorbed you to the Book, a long time ago?"

"It was kinda hard not to remember, to be honest," Shamal laughed a little; with time and forgiveness the wounds have ceased to hurt for a very long time.

Hayate smiled as she looked at her past, "Well, I'm not sure if you remember what happened after you were absorbed, but there were this two little kids not more than nine years old, battling with all their strength against a half Goddess. One was defeated, and another still stood. She was absolutely brilliant, but everything she threw against Reinforce had amounted to nothing. But she never stopped trying. She never gave up.

"I remembered those eyes as if just yesterday, Shamal. Nanoha had gone all out to save me, to save a friend she barely knew more than just her name and favorite food with _complete disregard of her own life_. It was wrong of course, and at first I couldn't understand; I mean, why would you sacrifice your life for someone you barely knew? But over time I came to know her better, and I realize that Nanoha was just… trying so hard to realize her own wish. And just like how I wished that no one would ever get hurt, she just… didn't want to see anyone sad and crying again. She would try again and again, no matter how many times it would take to make everyone happy. Her methods may be wrong, but even then she was so… _beautiful_."

Hayate took a moment's break to catch her breath before continuing, "Of course, she had since learned moderation, and she no longer drives herself beyond her own capabilities… most of the time. But lately, after Grey Christmas… she's starting to look like before again. She would go as far as to lie to us with a smile, lie to _Fate_ with a smile, soaking up all the responsibilities, all the pains and burdens by herself without relying on anyone… just so that she could protect us from danger and end it once and for all. That _idiot_, I… I _never _wanted anything like this. _Damn _that idiot, I…"

"I just want to help her… that's all."

That was all Hayate could say. The brunette couldn't think of anything else, and now that she thought about it some of the stuff she just said was _very _embarrassing. The brunette hid her burning face underneath her sleeves, and thought. She just wanted to help a friend. She just didn't want to see her friend suffer. _She_ _just wants to see her smile genuinely again_, without all the worries and sadness and pain that plagued the mind. It really wasn't a thought that a normal adult would have. Hayate didn't care, because she had come this far for an equally childish ideal herself.

"… Mistress?"

"…"

"Mistress? Are you asleep?" Shamal leaned a little closer and tried to peek.

"_She's not. Her face is as red as pie, and she just doesn't want you guys to see it."_

"Oh, that explains everything," Yuuno deadpanned with a straight face.

Hayate tried to catch the naughty little fairy that's flying about the corners Internal Space, and after a few unsuccessful attempts decided that she could deal with Rein later. She popped her face out of cover and tried to cover up, "I was feeling a little tired, hence my face was red, hence –"

Shamal leaned forwards and grabbed hold of her hand. Hayate did not expect that. The healer looked into her eyes and said firmly, "There is no need to be embarrassed, Mistress. You are absolutely right. _I _am the one who should be ashamed to even think that one should have a better reason to help a friend… Forgive me."

Hayate stared at Shamal carefully. It has been a long time since she had seen the healer with such a refreshed, happy look on her face. Hayate turned to look at Yuuno, and the young man apparently felt her gaze and turned away sheepishly. She would tease him for three days and nights for this little matter later. The brunette placed a hand at her heart, and felt Rein's warmth pulsing against it.

"Thank you," Hayate said sincerely.

"Can I, erm, kick Nanoha's ass with you when we see her later?" Shamal blushed a little at the use of explicit words, and Hayate couldn't resist a grin, "Definitely. And give me a good signal so I can grab a photo."

They both stood up from the ground, and Hayate gave her back a wonderful stretch. She looked up into the sky, no longer fearing the pure red color that dyed all of her vision. She would make it out. She would destroy Grey Christmas permanently. And she would definitely save Nanoha and Fate from their suffering so that they could once again smile truly.

Feeling a lot more refreshed despite the rather long talk, Hayate called out to her knights for the next set of instructions, _"Thirty minutes passed, guys. Any results?"_

Vita was the first to respond to her question, and the silence that follow suit were apparently of the same idea, _"I'm sorry, Hayate. I can't find her yet, and there's nothing at all that looked out of place. We'll keep searching though."_

"_Okay," _Hayate consented, _"Try and expand your search underground, remember that this is the TSAB Ground Force's base, and –"_

She heard a thud from behind. Suddenly her view suddenly shook, blurring in and out of focus for no reason. _My staff, _she thought, _can't fall now_. For some reason it had fell out of her grasp, and no matter how hard she tried to reach it she just couldn't move. Then she noticed a thin line of gold cutting across slightly left of her view, and it took her several seconds to comprehend that it was an energy blade; a most familiar golden blade that protruded out of her chest. _Lightning. _She touched where it came out, and her fingers felt wet. Very wet. Somehow it looked more crimson than everything she had seen in Grey Christmas. _I must be imagining things. _She turned her head backwards with difficulty, and she saw a familiar golden hair clad in black uniform and white cap. _This is impossible._

"F… ate?" Hayate croaked.

_[Blaster Three.]_

Hayate swung her head around, disbelieving her ears as she looked towards the sky. There stood a most familiar figure that she had known as long as Fate, a best friend she had sworn to protect and save no matter what the cost. She loved her. She loved them _both_. That was why she could not comprehend the pain that flared across her chest like fire. That was why she could not understand why the distinct, pink colored magic from her staff was growing stronger by the second, or why the weapon seemed to be targeting at the point right between her eyes.

"Na, no… ha?"

She felt the blade twisting within her heart, crushing it.

Her view suddenly erupted into a kaleidoscope of pink and red.

_" " " " " " "Hayate! " " " " " " "_


	14. Chapter 12 P3

**Author's Note: Okay daaaaaaamn I didn't finish this in time, I underestimated again how long it would take to complete the story. Sorry guys, next chapter would hopefully be the true end... hopefully.**_  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>[VITA]<em>**

"_You baaastaaaaaarddd! Haaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"_

Vita charged like a madman towards Fate Testarossa with a burning hammer in her arms, and without a second thought she swung downwards in a vertical arc with full intentions to smash her head open like a watermelon. Perhaps if given the time to think it through she would've realized that it wasn't exactly the best thing to do, but at that moment red hot anger had clouded her eyes completely. The supposed fake pulled out her energy blade and dodged quickly out of the way, but clad in silver flames with eyes cold enough to kill, Signum immediately crashed into the blonde with the strength of the meteor, and they both fell out of view. It did not matter. Zafira had already leaped immediately after the crash for Hayate's side, and Vita yelled rudely at the still-shocked Yuuno and Shamal; she wasn't in the mood to be civil, "What the fuck are you waiting there for!? Come and heal her already!"

As if waking up from a dream, the trip immediately rushed forwards and dropped down to their knees right beside Hayate. Yuuno immediately chanted a number of defensive barriers and healing spells at once, while Shamal focused all of her efforts into salvaging whatever's left of their Mistress' heart. They had no way of knowing whether Rein survived the blow, and Vita couldn't even bear to think of the worst outcome. _How? _Vita thought angrily to herself, _Even if we were caught by surprise, we've secured this area with five fucking S class barriers. How did she get in?_

But this was not the time to brood over past mistakes. With visible effort, the red knight turned her attention away from Hayate and glared hatefully at the other enemy. At _her_. Her entire body shook with terror and revulsion the moment she set her eyes on the imposter hovering well above them, looking _exactly the same as Nanoha_. The warrior felt her own grip weakened slightly with hesitation: What if she wasn't an imposter? What if Nanoha and Fate were being controlled by an invisible force? They looked _too _alike. _Too _similar. And it wasn't just the brunette's look; there was also the way she carried herself, the way she held her staff, that slightly misty but still recognizable glow in her eyes…

Vita shook off her hesitation, and gripped Graff Eisen tightly. It did not matter whether the Nanoha before her was a fake or not. If her friend was real, then Vita would beat the living hell out of her until she regained her senses. Otherwise, she would just _murder_ this devil spawn of Grey Christmas. She looked up, and –

"… What?"

Nanoha was smiling. It was a gentle smile that Vita has seen for countless of times, but this time she only felt a horrible chill coursing throughout every one of her nerves. Then the brunette slowly lowered Raising Heart and raised her free left arm. Her thin fingers beckoned once, twice.

Something snapped inside Vita.

"_Heeh, _so you want a fight, huh? _Then I'll grant your fucking wish! Eisen, GigantForm! _Let's see how you like it when I bash your face in!_"_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[SIGNUM]<em>**

It was all too convenient. All too timely. She could see it clearly now. To strike at the very moment when everyone's guards were relaxed, to attack their Mistress at the exact moment they were sweeping around that area once more… _To hit Hayate where it hurts most, and worse._ She no longer believed that Reunion's magic was absolute and impenetrable, and she was a fool to even believe it for such a long time. Everything that had happened thus far went _exactly_ as whoever's behind this wanted. The moment they stepped foot in here they had already lost –they were like food being served into the demon's belly, and right now the digestion process was occurring rapidly.

But she will _not _admit defeat.

"Taaaahhh!" Leviathan stabbed upwards and fell straight down from the sky like a bloody guillotine of death. Once again Fate Testarossa has managed to evade the attack by the tiniest of distance. If she had been a millimeter closer the attack would've drew blood, but she was not, and that was that. As long as the lightning warrior continues to go all out defensive, she was bound to go down sooner or later. But Signum was getting both irritated and impatient. There were several reasons for that, but first and foremost would be that Testarossa had been fighting her all these time with a Scythe Form Bardiche. She had switched her energy blades into that form ever since Signum had crashed into the blonde like a truck from the sky, and for some reason it had irked her to no end. Then there was the weird hand gesture – it had taken her a full minute before noticing – that the blonde was making with her hands whenever they're free, counting numbers seemingly at random fashion,

"1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 0, 2, 9 –"

"_Stop looking at her hands, it's just there to distract you!"_

"_I know."_

Another blow, another miss. Suddenly, like some wild beast born of a fairy tale, her friend began leaping and bouncing all over the streets with the grace of a dancer, forcing Signum to halt her own blows as she fell into a guarding stance and watched with careful concentration. The blonde bounced off buildings, street lamps, dead trees, or anything that's close enough in every possible direction, seeking for a chance to throw in an attack.

That alone would not have fazed the former war general, except that Testarossa's movements were so jarringly _wrong_ that for the first in a very long time, Signum felt cold sweat accumulating from underneath her palms. How could you predict the timing of the strike or even direction she was jumping to, when her foe had stuck out her leg seemingly to leap to the right, but became propelled to the _left _instead? Just what in the hell was going on? The absolute contradiction of body movements and battle physics that the knight was accustomed to gradually ate away at her confidence: What if she had struck from the top, but the blow actually came from _behind_ instead? Could she block it? Could she dodge it? Could she even _see _it coming?

"_Signum, don't get confused by her movements. Just treat her now the same as any other illusionary user and we would be fine."_

"… _Yes. Thank you for the advice."_

But she was not alone. Agito had an uncouth mouth when they were out of duty, but in a fight she became transformed into a serious, sharp-eyed tactician who had saved her hide for countless of times. Signum took in a small breath, and watched. It did not matter if Testarossa was slippery. It did not matter if she couldn't predict her movements. All she needed was a single slip-up, to size that slim but sure chance and deliver the killing blow. To cleave this sword from shoulder down and incapacitate her friend from doing anything else, just in case if she was _not _an imposter, and even that could be optimistic. No matter. One blow was all she needed, and –

The blonde stopped abruptly a good ten meters away from her, staring back at Signum with no expression at all. _Now what?_ With Bardiche lowered, Testarossa slowly lifted her right hand into clear view, and showed Signum a fist. _Zero_, Signum thought instinctively. Then an index finger popped out, and despite her attempts to stay focused, the warrior could not help but counted _one._ The numbers went by slowly at first, in ascending order, zero to nine, until gradually the blonde began to pick up speed, and the number went by faster and faster and _faster _–

Abruptly, Signum understood with terrifying clarity the true meaning behind the useless hand gesture.

_She wasn't counting at a random order… she was just too fast I can't even see – !?_

The blonde floated a smile. She disappeared.

" "_Guuaaaaaaaaaaaaagghhhh!?" "_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[ZAFIRA]<em>**

"_Ugghh! Kaack…!"_

"Vita, let me –"

"_No,"_ the red warrior glared at Zafira with burning eyes, "Stay here. This is _not _a matter of discussion. We must not make the same mistake as before."

Zafira personally think that it was pointless now, but there was no arguing with the angered warrior. It did not change the fact that the fight was overwhelmingly disadvantageous for her, and for the first time in a long while Zafira seethed with frustration at his own helplessness to aid against the falling tides. All of them knew the full extent of Nanoha's capabilities, and he understood clearly – even Vita herself – could not defeat Nanoha in an all-out brawl. However, the red knight's greatest attributes lies not at her monstrous strength, but her seemingly infinite endurance against any sort of punishment. The plan had been simple enough: Stall the fight as long as possible until Signum arrives to help them. Even though Vita may have appeared to be provoked easily, she had been battling the Ace of Aces with utmost carefulness and had successfully slipped way from most of the brunette's counterattacks. The plan should've been a success. _Was _a success, except that neither of them could overlook a certain, obvious fact blotting against their faces with the pain of a wasp's sting.

Nanoha could've killed Vita a hundred times over if she really wanted to. Nanoha could've killed them, the sitting ducks _a million times _over.

"Seeeeeiii!" The war hammer rammed downwards in a deadly arc to destroy their friend's neck, but a Round Shield easily blocked the full-powered blow with the simplest flick of a finger. A silent pink orb emerged out of nowhere from behind Vita and dove straight for her neck, but the small knight had already perceived the attack and slipped out of the way barely. Zafira watched as the small, insignificant ball of magic streaked towards a random skyscraper a few miles away, and gritted his teeth. He already knew what was going to happen, but he couldn't for life pulled his eyes away from the accursed pink dot.

There was annihilation. It was a horrendous understatement, he knew. One that shook the very ground he stood with a tremendous bang, rumbling everything on sight and his own heart to the core. TSAB buildings were built to be able to withstand both magical and physical bombardments, and that particular skyscraper Nanoha just _disintegrated_ was one of the twelve pillars that supported all the shields and barriers that protected the Mid-Childan Office. This wasn't even a matter of Mage Rank anymore, it was simply _fucking impossible_ for _anything _to have destroyed it so easily. And yet Nanoha was defying the very foundation of logic right before their eyes.

But the light in Vita's eyes was still there. She did not give up even with numerous wounds all over her body; the products of a cruel foe purposely missing and cutting her up with the most intricate of controls.

"Yuuno," Zafira asked with a throat far dryer than he would've thought possible, "Is it possible for you to block or deflect it if that mons… she decides to hit here?"

"… It may be possible to deflect it."

He didn't need to ask the rest of the questions. It was absolutely infuriating to see the imposter, or the controlled Nanoha, or whatever that _thing_ was toying around with them, but it was also the only reason that they're still alive. He suspected that it was not due to any negligence or arrogance of sort, and the familiar did _not _wish to find out what the brunette was stalling for.

They need to get out. Now.

_[Reunion. How much longer do we have to wait?]_

_[You mean, the ongoing negotiation with a bunch of idiots whether to do things the easy way that is to blast all of you and Cranagan into smithereens; or getting you guys out alive with two insanely powerful rogue mages at hand?]_

_[I am not in the mood to be funny.]_

_[Then don't ask the obvious question! Chrono would ram his warship into the Shroud if he has to, but right now no one has the authority to act without being labeled as a traitor and blasted to oblivion!]_

Zafira's nature was that of a calm, mindful guardian who always placed duty above personal feelings, but at the moment he felt like ripping a few officer heads off just to get the rescue moving.

_[How is Signum and Agito faring against Fate Testarossa?]_

_[Not good. She's weaker than Nanoha, but when our Ace of Aces could fire nuclear bombs out of the tip of her fingers the comparison seemed mute.]_

_[Can she _win?_]_

Reunion did not answer, and Zafira understood. He made up his decision and rose from his position. Shamal noticed the look in his eyes and asked worriedly, "Zafira, what are you doing?"

"You've heard Reunion; I'm going to help Signum. It is the only chance we have of getting Mistress Hayate out of here safely."

"No," Yuuno said abruptly, "Don't go. I know what you're going to do. Hayate wouldn't want you to do this –"

"And Hayate would be alive to be mad at me… I'm sorry. I must go. I'm counting on you both to protect our Mistress."

"Zafira _don't!_"

Shamal screamed for him to stop, but Zafira forced his heart and mind into steel and ignored her. He did not expect to make it out alive when so many of others have perished, but if it meant protecting his Mistress and family from mortal danger, he would part with his life gladly.

The blue wolf leaped to the handrails of the building, and looked up towards Vita once. Then he was gone.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[SHAMAL]<em>**

The great wolf was gone from view just like that, diving head first into incredible danger with eyes determined to die with its enemies. She had never seen Zafira so angry before, and she had never felt more helpless than she was right now. Hayate glanced downwards at Hayate's wounds, and she felt her eyes blurring up with tears again for the hundredth time. For all of her healing magic, all of her skills honed by thousands of years of training, and the most she could do were to create a magical pocket that acted as substitute for Hayate's ruptured heart, barely keeping her alive. It was absolutely impossible to regenerate the organ; they would need the science facilities to grow a new heart and replace it before Hayate could ever wake up again, and that's assuming that they could get out of this hopeless situation. She felt like despairing. She felt like giving up. But if she couldn't be strong, then Hayate would not survive. And so Shamal persevered and held in her tears. She persevered.

Yuuno checked on Hayate's wounds again, wiping another layer of cold sweat off his forehead with shivering hands, "Is it working? Is there anything else I should do?"

Shamal's answer was as transient as a ghost, "I think so."

"… How about Rein? Is she… there?"

Shamal visibly shuddered, and Yuuno wisely kept his mouth shut. That was another thing that the healer was trying hard not to worry about. The only reason their Mistress managed to survive a fatal wound this long was not due to her skills or even Yuuno's, but because she was in Unison Mode. Her body became stronger, faster, healed faster than normal men, in addition of having their Unison Device as a separate consciousness to aid greatly in many things such as mana and spell processing. But out of all these, opened only to the most compatible Unison partners, there was one greatest benefit that outweighed all of them in terms of value and importance. It was a simple wish that either one of the partners could make, as long as they willed it truly with all of their heart and soul.

Shamal hoped fervently that neither Rein nor Hayate had chosen to use it. Especially Rein.

"The mass teleportation spell is ready."

"Huh?" Yuuno's voice had rung from beside her as she stared blankly at the fight above her, and she turned around after some time to look at him.

"I'm sorry?"

"I could get us all out of here as long as there's a path to the outside world. With Reunion's Rare Skill, we don't even need to gather all at one place."

Finally Shamal broke out of her reverie and stared at Yuuno with disbelief, "Are you sure? Are you _absolutely _sure?"

Yuuno answered seriously, "There are no absolutes, but I'm positive that it would work. All we need is for someone from the outside to fire a strong enough cannon blast to puncture the shroud."

"But then…" Shamal thought back to Zafira's conversation with Reunion before, and her face darkened almost instantly, "We don't know whether they would even help us, and Admiral Harlaown would be in great danger if he tries to act against orders."

And so Shamal was very surprised when Yuuno laughed aloud refreshingly, "You should get to know him more. While the bastard might seem like a hardheaded man, he would fight against the Headquarters himself if it meant saving our lives, especially Nanoha's and Fate's – well I'm not so sure about my own though. So I need you to learn the spell too in case I got blew up by Nanoha; so you could be there to save Hayate and everyone. Okay?"

Yuuno winked at her once, and suddenly the healer understood that he was just trying to encourage her. Shamal the medic and psychiatrist had a long list of experience when consulting patients, but when the matter happened to be her own wellbeing she was never too perceptive. Of course there was a chance that his plan could fail. Of course there was a chance he might die before the path was even opened. But he believed in Chrono, and he believed in _her_, and his conviction that they would all survive this was firm as diamonds.

And he was right. It was way too early to give up.

"… So this is the man you've come to love, Hayate?" Shamal whispered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," The healer shook her head, "Just talking to myself… Thank you."

Yuuno grinned sheepishly, "You're welcome."

Shamal smiled a little, and stood up from her kneeling spot. Her legs felt cramped, but her fighting spirit was finally refreshed. Shamal glanced upwards to look once more at the battling duo. She may not be able to fight, but she was a healer, and a healer's first and only job was to ensure their patient's good health. She would learn the spell. She would wait for her chance. And when help came, they would finally be –

"Eh?" A pink orb dropped slowly before her eyes, glowing with a soft and gentle aura. _It was so beautiful._

She reached out.

"SHAMAL, DON

* * *

><p><strong><em>[?]<em>**

_She heard a sound. A most peculiar shatter that caught her attention. Faint, but there. Insignificant, and yet for some unknown reason, she felt her interest piqued. What is it? What is it?_

_She ran towards it._

* * *

><p><strong><em>[YUUNO]<em>**

He wasn't exactly sure what he was seeing.

_Pssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh –_

A few second ago, standing in front of him was the naughty nurse who used to chase him around with a god forsaken needle because he was wooing her Mistress. An amazing healer whom he knew when filled with determination was capable of producing medical miracles he could only dream to achieve.

"Ah – _Ah –_"

He was drenched. He was completely drenched. The liquid still sprayed strongly into his face as if mocking his disbelief, and he could feel bits of slimy thing clinging all over his body. He tried wiping his face; his eyes felt completely dyed by the world's horrendous color. It did not work, _she was still there_. The half blown torso of a most gentle, dearest friend still stood as if it was alive and well and he could've sworn that she was _smiling_, spraying impossible amounts of blood to the heavens and his face.

"_Shamal…"_

Yuuno cocked his head slightly to the right, and saw the husk of a warrior whose vitality had seemed endless. Since when was she there? Time seemed to have lost its meaning. Her eyes were hollow, the corner of her lips quivered as if it would break. Her presence brought back some semblance of his self, and perhaps a little bit too much of his own mind's presence, but the young man was back. He needed to be there.

He began to go through his usual thought routine, and the first thing that came to mind was to console Vita. However, it would serve no useful purposes except perhaps setting her off like a bomb and have her punch him out cold as a favor. Worse, Yuuno himself had no words to offer to Vita, for his current feelings was one closer to the wretched beings in hell.

And so he turned his attention upwards. Yuuno saw in his eyes a figure of his former friend. The human that was once Nanoha now turned into something different. Something unspeakable. He knew that this godlike Nanoha staring down on him was not an imposter. He didn't know why he know; perhaps it was because he was her first magical friend, perhaps it was because he shared an intimate relationship with Hayate and hence grew to be have more affinity with Heart Seeker. One thing was certain: This beautiful woman staring down on them with eyes colder than black and an expressionless befitting of the gods was none other than Nanoha Takamichi.

Somehow, he felt like chuckling a little. So his dear friend – _friends_, he must not forget that there's Fate, and even Hayate, the Living Lost Logia – had the qualities to become a god. It was a wonder why that he'd never thought about it, because supposed that they were born a couple hundreds of years earlier, then every one of them would definitely carry an epic legend of their own. No wait; they were _already _living legends now. It was a wondrous thought. A wondrous dream.

_A dream_.

He clenched his fists.

"Vita… stay here and recuperate. I'll need your help later on."

The grey blue eyes stirred a little, and the little knight responded numbly without thought, "What are you talking about? Shamal is… you can't…"

"Shamal is gone, and we are alive. If we don't survive this, then her death would mean nothing… We must save Hayate, remember?"

"Shamal died… Hayate…" Vita's mind was still not there, but she was a little more aware than before, "Shouldn't you stay… And heal?"

"We have done all we can. The fastest way to get out of here now would be to stop her," Yuuno glared at Nanoha as the woman floated yet another smile, "I will buy ten minutes of time. In the meanwhile, stay inside the healing circle and recuperate. You _must_ get a hold of yourself, or else more people will die. Get it, Vita Yagami!?"

The shout at the end shook Vita out of the nightmare, and she finally started to realize that Yuuno was going to fight. The sheer incredulity on her face told Yuuno enough that her confidence level at his fighting abilities was… not very high, "What the hell are you talking about!? You're a defender, you can't win against –"

Without waiting for her to finish, Yuuno jumped to the skies and began chanting. His hands began to glow bright green with magic when the brunette responded by raising the tip of Raising Heart towards his head and began charging a football-sized magical bomb. It seemed that his former friend gave quite the high credit for his defensive capabilities, considering that the fist-sized ones had obliterated nearly all of the skyscrapers as far as he could see. Yuuno gave himself a bitter smile and increased his speed, charging headfirst towards Nanoha without even the slightest hesitation. He could hear Vita shouting, "_Stop it you idiot! You're going to –"_

The pink orb exploded towards his head with the speed of a bullet. With barely a hundred meters between him and her, even with his greatest reflexes the most he could do was to either block it with a shield or barely dodge out of the way. But Yuuno had been watching Vita's battle closely from the beginning, and he had learned that the once-Nanoha could easily change the trajectory of her spells at any time, any angle and any speed. There was no point in dodging; he did not have Vita's tough strength and would very likely fall the instant he failed to escape or block any of her shots.

But he didn't need to.

"Round Shield," Yuuno whispered to himself. Two football-sized magical shields – coincidentally the same size as Nanoha's shot – appeared at both ends of his palm, and without hesitation he swung the first one directly at the incoming blow like a chakram. The two spells came into contact, and the Yuuno's shield _cut right through it_.

"What!?" Vita exclaimed.

The brunette too seemed to be shocked by the unexpected outcome, and her reaction was slow by a fraction of a second. The cleverly improvised Round Shield clashed against Nanoha's automatic shielding, and it actually managed to cut through an inch deep where Vita's full power had failed. Yuuno immediately seized on the chance and threw two more Round Shields at where the first had struck, and when the brunette tried to respond she found both her hands chained and bounded by a Bind that had come completely out of nowhere.

"The real Nanoha who fights with skill and caution is someone I could never defeat, but for a fool like you who relies solely on power?"

The second Round Shield clashed into the first one that's stuck with perfect aim, sinking it deep into Nanoha's shield and just an inch away from her nose. When the third did the same, her seemingly impregnable defenses finally broke down, and it took the once-Nanoha a panicked swerve to the right to avoid having her head completely cleaved. Yuuno glanced coldly at his former friend, "That is a totally different story. You better fight seriously, or I might just accidentally kill you."

The Ace of Aces slowly turned to stare at Yuuno, and for the first time she grabbed Raising Heart with both her hands and assumed a proper stance. The atmosphere seemed to freeze literally with the goddess' unspoken anger, and the young man sighed deep in his heart.

Now then. Only nine minutes left.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[SIGNUM]<em>**

**Signum** stood by the charred remains that was once the Guardian Beast Zafira, completely unmoving.

_Why is he here?_

She couldn't understand. The wolf was supposed to be protecting Hayate. He should be high, high up the tallest skyscraper of the Mid-Childan Office.

_Not here._

_"Signum! _Signum! _Get a hold of yourself, she's coming! Signum!"_

The knight jumped sluggishly for the left, and she accidentally tripped on a nearby foot hole, falling head first to the ground. The mistake actually saved her life, because the scythe of death cut right through the space she was before, leaving strands of pink hair fluttering helplessly against thin air. She looked up from where she sat, and there was terror and death staring right down at her with the form of a friend she loved dearly, smiling as bright as the sun.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[Ten minutes ago]<em>**

"Unngghhh…"

Signum opened her eyes to find herself pinned underneath a rubble of rock and steel. The very essence of the world to distort before her eyes as she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. Her body burned with mind numbing pain, and she knew that she had broken no less than twenty bones throughout her body. The only reason she was alive was thanks to Unison Mode, and a reaction of pure instinct on her part. Confused as she was, Signum could remember all too clearly how she had been defeated – no, _destroyed_ – by her rival, and she swore aloud angrily at her own stupid mistake.

_"Keep quiet! If she notices us before you heal up then we'll really be dead!"_

_"I can move."_

_"What's the point if your so-called 'movement' is slower than a snail's? Just, shut up!"_

_"Sorry."_

Signum wondered how long did she black out. She cocked her head sideways and tried to listen for the sound of anything out of the ordinary, but could discern none. That was a relief to say the least, and she could not help but take the time recall the horrendous defeat earlier. Fate Testarossa had took advantage of her surprise completely and rammed into her belly like a bullet, knocking all of the wind out of her. She had understood immediately after that they would be dead if she did not respond to the following blow, and through pure luck alone she somehow blocked the fatal scythe as Signum swung Leviathan to the right. However, the strength behind the blow far exceeded what Signum could ever imagine, and before they knew it they had crashed through a god damn building and landed themselves in this heap of mess.

_"How much longer until I can fight?"_

_"I can't say. It'll take five minutes of healing at least for you to move without limping."_

_"That's too long. Two minutes. Just get my feet and right arm moving, and we'll do the rest later in battle."_

_"Are you crazy?! That's impossib – argh fine, have it your way. Just _don't. Move _during these two minutes."_

_"Thanks. Anyway, what do you about Testorossa's current fighting style?" _Signum inquired. Agito's advices have always been invaluable in duels like these.

_"Other that she's sneaky, creepy, and scaring the living hell out of me? No idea. But what I really don't understand is why she doesn't just swarm us with her speed," _Agito said doubtfully.

Signum agreed with most of the statement, except that she actually understood the why to Agito's question. She added some more, _"Have you also noticed that all of her attacks have thus far aimed at my neck or the heart?"_

_"… No. What are you trying to say?"_

_"I believe that she's playing the Grim Reaper. It is a death god that apparently claims the souls of the living by cutting either the neck or the heart. I remember Nanoha joking to Fate once that she looked like one of those grim reapers in the books with Scythe Form, and since then she rarely uses it ever again."_

_"I'm sorry, so let's say you're right: what is the point? Why even do such a stupid thing?"_

_"I have no idea. However, with that I know that her fatal blows would only come for the neck or the heart. She is also mostly defensive, because the moment she attacks would be the death of her enemies. We have dodged one. All we have to do is to kill her before the next fatal blow."_

_"Aren't you putting a little too much confidence in this theory? She did fucking kick us in the stomach just now, you know, and I count that as an attack."_

"Well, even a Grim Reaper can improvise, right?" Signum said aloud this time, and she moved her sword wielding wrist around to get a good feel on her palm, "It's just that I've been noticing it for quite some time now, and I can't help but think that if she wasn't trying to imitate one we would've dead a hundred times already."

_"Huh? What are you talking about –"_

And then she noticed it as well. There was a tiny, totally insignificant crack to the right of the crumbling ceiling, and what made it peculiar was that, while every other cracks or holes had shone with the same depressing blood red color, this tiny little crack had shown a different color. It was of a darker red mixed with a bit of black, and for some reason it seemed to be holding a gleam that one should not see from any sky. It's almost as if –

Every bloody in Agito's veins turned ice at once. It wasn't the fucking sky that she was seeing through that hole, it was an _eye. A human eye. Fate fucking Testarossa peeking down at them for god knows how fucking long –_

"Shiden, _Issen!_" Signum slashed her sword directly at the eye, and as the view exploded into a clear, red sky once more, the knight knew that her assumptions were dead right. Testarossa's figure soared through the air as gracefully as a bird as she landed nine feet away from them, and when she finally looked up with _that smile _again even Signum could not suppress a shudder.

_"I'm sorry, Signum. Can we just kill her and be done with it?"_

_"No can do. Also, we must capture her now without any delay. I fear for Hayate and the others above; Nanoha is an even stronger monster than Testarossa."_

_"Oh Kaiser."_

Signum readied her sword and stared intently at her foe. Once again the blonde began counting numbers with her hand, but this time the knight simply ignored her completely and got ready to charge. Her left feet was mending even as she thinks, and as soon as it was adequately mended, she would –

"…?"

It's as if she realized that Signum wasn't going to look at her hand gestures any longer. Testarossa began moving her mouth slowly, and suddenly they realized that she was speaking without voice. Again Signum picked up the words almost instinctively,

"Five"

"Four"

_"Signum…" _Agito started.

"I'm on it already!" Signum dashed towards the blonde with her blade brimming with fire. This time she was not going to make the same mistake before and allow Testarossa to escape by a hair's breadth, "_Karyu –_"

Suddenly the woman vanished, and Signum stopped abruptly with her eyes wide open. _Where is she!?_ Agito yelled, and she swung around to see her friend mouthing just in time,

"Two"

"One"

"!?"

Suddenly she felt a weird twinge in her heart ringing like a thousand alarm bells. _What? What just happened? _But the slight hesitation gave room for her opponent to maneuver, and just as the blonde looked to be moving again, she slashed out,

_"–_ _Issen!"_

The fire dragon sung, and the land before her erupted like the roar of a volcano, and the resulting dust and debris more or less prevented her from seeing anything. Almost immediately Signum began to regret her decision; what if she had accidentally killed Testarossa? Even if she had tried to lower the strength of the attack, her impatience just now might have cost her control. And the blonde might be an imposter, she might not. But what worried her even more would be what if she did _not _at least incapacitate her foe. Then she had just placed herself in a far worse situation.

_"Let's fly up and get clear –"_

"No. It is too risky. We'll wait for the debris to clear."

Almost as if hearing her call, an unnatural wind began to blow at the view blocking dust until everything became clear again within the matter of seconds. Signum did not dare move an inch as she opened up all of her senses to the max and tried to detect exactly where Testarossa was.

_"… To your four o'clock!"_

The knight spun around, half expecting another explosive dash for Testarossa as she held up Leviathan defensively in a sturdy full guard. The blonde came to view with that eerie smile still hanging on her face, and slowly she opened her mouth again and began to spell,

"Z E R O"

Abruptly her foe held up her hand and pointed to the right. Before Signum could comprehend what was happening, a tremendous burst of electrical energy exploded from Testarossa's arm and headed straight towards nowhere. _Thunder Rage? What is she doing? _The fire general turned to look at where the woman was aiming.

She saw Zafira.

* * *

><p>The desperate shout finally pierced through the fog clouding her mind, and she swung out Leviathan just in time to block the incoming blow.<p>

_THUNK!_

"Mm!" Her feet slid backwards, and Signum felt her arm wobbled against the tremendous pressure. The ice cold face that was Testarossa continued to smile like a broken doll, but Signum's only response was to simply stare at the distorted face. She was angry. She was _very _angry. _Why_, _did Zafira have to die?_ _Why_, _did Fate have to kill him?_ _What, _she thought so angrily until her view seemed to dyed red with fire, _happened to have changed their entire world so drastically without any reason?_

Abruptly her thoughts were interrupted by a certain voice.

_[… Signum? Signum? Can you hear me?]_

The general glanced downwards at Fate's wide open stomach, and responded with a solid kick that separated them both at least six feet away. She took a few step backwards and muttered, "Yes, I hear you. What is it?"

_[No, it's just that the connection was just fine when I spoke to Zafira before – Oh.]_

Signum took note of the boy's stunned exclamation, and her mind seemed to clear up a little. She asked with a twinge of worry, "Are you okay? It's… not something you should see too long."

_[I – I know. It's just that he… said he wanted to help, so I thought that he wouldn't… fall this easily.]_

"He was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Signum glared at the blonde before her who didn't seem to show any inclination to attack. She would be damned if she let her guard down though, "How fares the others? I'll end this as soon as I can."

_[They're still fine, but… Shamal…]_

So that's explained the weird feeling in her heart before. Both Signum and Agito accepted the news with great sadness, but to her surprise she neither felt any anger, nor despair. Whatever resentment that seemed to burn away the very fabric of sound judgment was just… gone. Instead, they were replaced with love and concern for the boy, worried that his mind might be scarred by the ghastly deaths of her allies. _And it wasn't just our Zafira and Shamal too, _Signum recalled sadly. There were others. So many others. Even she, who's to say that she'll survive this fight?

And just like that, a sudden revelation hit her. It came out of nowhere and was completely unexpected, but… suddenly, Signum felt like she understood what she needed to do.

_"… Signum?"_

"Reunion," Signum nodded a mental sorry towards Agito before continuing, "I would like you to watch my battle to the end."

_[Signum?]_

"I am sorry, but to be honest, I do not think that I will survive this," Signum noted the various broken bones all over her body, and the pain that she had just come to realize was assaulting her with utmost ferocity. Unison Mode was unfortunately not invincible; she was almost at her limit, "I will put my all onto the next attack. It is the only chance."

_[Signum, don't say it like you're already lost, you're –]_

"I know when I'm at a disadvantage, Reunion," Signum stated flatly, and even Agito did not try to contradict here, "I _especially_ know when my enemies are toying with me. But that is not the point. All you have to do is to watch… Not my end, not Testarossa's end, but just… _watch me_."

She said nothing else to the boy, and he wisely kept quiet. Perhaps he even knew what she was thinking, since they were now connected in the heart. Signum turned her focus towards Agito, and apologized, "I am sorry, Agito."

_"For what?" _Agito replied bullishly, _"Are you giving up already? Are you admitting defeat? Is that the extent of determination as a knight? Because if that's what you're saying, you _know _that I'll kill you first before Testarossa will."_

"No," Signum shook her head, "I am not giving up. I am not admitting defeat. As long as I have a single breath left in me, I would use it to perform my duty. _To protect Hayate._ But you already know," the knight said with mild amusement, "that I am simply giving an accurate assessment of the situation."

_"I do know it,"_ Agito nodded firmly, _"I just don't like it when you always start off with an apology, _then_ tell me something that I don't like to hear. I am not running away."_

"But –"

_"_Our bond isn't so cheap,_ Signum,"_ Agito said fiercely, _"I am _your_ Unison Device. I will live and die _for you_. I am sorry, but your Mistress is not my highest priority. _You are_."_

Those were the last words Signum never wanted to hear, because she would not be able to refuse Agito then. But even so, warm tears nearly fell from her eyes and she struggled very hard not to show it. A pointless effort, she knew, but she tried.

"Thank you. You... you are… my one and only partner. Forever," Signum said with feeling.

_"Yeah. That's all I need to hear. Now let's burn that lousy bitch all the way to hell!"_

"Manners, Agito."

The fire general dropped into a stance, and in response to her challenge Testarossa lifted her scythe pointed it right at her. Despite the fact that her sword wrist wasn't moving quite right, not to mind the screeching pain that burned at various places such as her hip, her knees and so much more, Signum had never felt more powerful than she was now. She had never felt more convinced. This is her determination, her oath, this is _everything_ that made up Signum Yagami. Whether or not this strength could defeat Testarossa no longer even mattered in her heart. _Could you see, Reunion? _Signum thought to herself, _This is my soul. Grey Christmas may be able to take my life, but it will never, _ever _change me of what I am. And so you too must stay true to yourself, and never allow your own will to be corrupted. Remember me. Remember Agito. We are the knights of honor, and we did not give in._

Her foe – no. _Friend – _leaped forwards like a bolt of lightning.

She swung her sword with conviction and strength, the flames of heart never ceasing until the very last moment.

The last remnants of the silver flames winked out of existence.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[?]<em>**

_She came across something interesting, and stopped to take a look. They were two dead bodies of the people she knew, and a pair of names floated into her mind, "Teana Lannister" "Subaru Nakajima". Why are they here, she wondered. She was so very curious. Suddenly a sparkling note popped into her hands, and like the good girl she was, she began reading,_

"_Teana Lannister. Cause of death: crushed cranium. Bashed to death by her best friend, Subaru Nakajima."_

"_Subaru Nakajima. Cause of death: excessive bleeding. Shot at multiple non-fatal parts of her body by Teana Lannister, and she died at the end crying like a baby."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>[VITA]<em>**

Vita could scarcely believe her own eyes as she watched Yuuno duking it out with Nanoha in one of the most spectacular aerial mage battle she has ever seen.

"Hmph! That all you got? Chain Bind!" Yuuno dodged past yet another set of Axel Shooters, and extended his hand towards Nanoha. Immediately the brunette flew out of the way expecting numerous amounts of magical chains to burst out and restrict her movements, but once again Yuuno had defied her expectations. Instead he had already teleported on top of the brunette's head and apologized jokingly, "Oops, sorry I lied. _Shield Break!_"

The young man smashed both his fists directly against Nanoha's Sphere Protection, and they shattered into fragments like broken pieces of glass. But the brunette was also capable of melee combat, and immediately she swung Raising Heart upwards and began jabbing repeatedly as if she was wielding a spear. Meanwhile the hundreds of Axel Shooters began closing in rapidly onto Yuuno from all directions again, effectively shutting off any escape routes except by teleportation. That was what Vita expected him to do, that was what _Nanoha _expected him to do, and as the brunette responded honestly with a vicious jab to his nose the genius defender calmly dodged out of the way and grabbed a hand onto Raising Heart. They had not for a moment expected that.

"I'm not exactly fond of being blown to death. You on the other hand –" This time the Chain Binds did erupt from his hand, and they quickly slither all over Nanoha's body to trap her in an inescapable hold, "seems to have a date with a number of lovely pink bombs. Don't be rude, go and say hello!"

With a single flick of his wrist, he flung the brunette bodily towards the incoming Axel Shooters, and as she crashed into them like a rag doll the resulting booms reminded Vita about lots of fireworks. She had only fought Yuuno once in the past, when he was just a nine years old kid who had showcased extraordinary talents in defending and multitasking. She remembered failing to break through any of the boy's barriers and when things looked dangerous, he always managed to pull out a clutch bind and buy enough time for himself to safety. However, at that time they were both still immature, and the notion of tactics hadn't even begun to bud on Vita's brain except for the most basics of basics. Now she was a full-fledged combat mage with a decent amount of battle experience and knowledge, and even though she tried to disregard her own personal feelings, in truth the red knight felt absolutely mortified that the freaking _librarian _was fighting far better than she ever did against Nanoha.

_One minute left. My wrists… they're moving reasonably well. Feet fine, slight discomfort on the heels but… I can do this._

But this obviously wasn't the time to feel rivalry against Yuuno. If anything, she had an apology to make for belittling his abilities. Vita tightened her grasp over Graf Eisen and stared at the sleeping figure beside her. Hayate's face was pale white as a ghost, and her lips were tightly clenched as if trapped in an unforgiving nightmare. Weak. Defeated. _Dying._ She could not bear to look at Shamal; that would not be the look she wanted to be remembered anyway. But Vita dug nails into her palm's flesh and forced herself to look at Shamal. It did not matter if she was a headless corpse. It did no matter if her death had been ghastly and terrible. Shamal was her _family_, and that was all that mattered. She will _never _forget what had transcended today, and she would make out of this place with Hayate… _alive._

_[Vita, Chrono is prepared to ram Claudia into the Shroud. You just need to hold out for three more minutes.]_

_[For real?]_

_[Ram it into the Shroud _then _fire the cannons. The TSAB fucking Admirals can go fuck themselves, he said. You should've seen it.]_

_[Holy shit.]_

Reunion popped into her head just as sudden as it has always been. At first she had thought the boy intruding and even dangerous, but over time she came to realize that he about as dangerous the nine years old Hayate, owner of the Book of Darkness. In the end, no matter how wise or age old his mind was, he was still just a nine years old kid. Now that her life was in mortal danger, the little knight regretted not spending more time with him.

_[Vita, I… need to tell you something.]_

"I already know," Vita whispered quietly. They are the Wolkenritters, and they shared a bond with each other that no one could break. Even if the magical connection between them linked by the Book had subsided over the years, there was no way she couldn't feel her family member's death. Signum had failed, and that stupid Zafira was gone as well. The one time he exhibited true emotion to protect what's important to him, he was gone as quick as the wind. Still, Vita was proud of him. Still, Vita was proud of her. Fate may be coming, but she would not be in time. Signum would never allow her enemies to leave the battlefield unscathed.

_[I… I think I loved them as well.]_

_[That had better be shyness talking, or otherwise Hayate would slap you until your cheeks are swollen.]_

_[Hahaha...]_

Vita stood up. One minute's up, and while she still felt a little more battered than usual, ferret boy had said to buy only ten minutes of time, and so she better joined in the battle or he would get his ass whooped. She lifted her sworn partner onto her shoulders, and took a little bit of time to enjoy the soothing coolness that permeated from Graf Eisen's metal.

_[Hey… I've only told Signum about it, but… you knew, didn't you?]_

"Huh? Ah, you mean my friends? Well… I guess I did. They would not have been so late otherwise."

_[I'm sorry… for keeping it quiet. I just – Hayate's not –]_

"Reunion," She cut him off sternly, "You don't need to apologize. I would've done the same thing, though with a more formal reason… But I guess there is something I should tell you before I go."

_[Yes.]_

"Have faith in Hayate, and support her always. She's always trying to be strong for someone else, and yet never doing enough for herself. So stand with her. Smile with her. That's the least we can do for someone who gave our lives meaning again. That's the least we can do for our _mother_… get it?"

_[… Yes.]_

Vita looked up to the fight again and her mouth formed into a small O, "Oookay, looks like I've dallied a little bit too long. Would you look at that trail of fireworks chasing after ferret boy like a horde of angry hornets."

"If you have time to enjoy a scene then come and help me _Whoa_ – please!?"

"Yeah, yeah. Guess we have to cut our chat short, little one. I'll see you later," Vita grabbed Graf Eisen with both hands, and watched for the perfect timing to dive for Nanoha's flank.

_[Er, sorry, little one?]_

"Oh yeah. I never did introduce myself properly to you, did I?" Vita smiled from ear to ear, and said from the bottom of her heart, "Nice to meet you,_ little brother_. My name is Vita Yagami, and I am your elder sister… Welcome to our family."

She flew.

* * *

><p><strong><em>[YUUNO]<em>**

Yuuno threw yet another Round Shield at the brunette, to which the latter had ignored it completely as it became lodged against her Sphere Protection and simply dived for his person. It would be difficult to get a good aim in at such a speed, and if she kept up the pressure and dogged on his tails he would have no time to make clever tricks. _Great, she's catching on to my weakness, _Yuuno thought blankly to himself. His breath felt ragged, and his limbs felt so heavy that he might as well be flying with four sacks of steel. But finally he sensed that a certain red warrior was inching to get behind the brunette, and abruptly he decided to take a risk. Yuuno stood his ground and as he closed his eyes, pure strands of slender green erupted from his core like a blooming sunflower as they danced and swayed and circled around the blonde warrior as if alive. He may be lacking in terms of magic quantity – a major reason why he did not pursue a more combative career – but if there was one thing he did better than anyone, it would be technique and processing. It was also the only reason why he never needed a Device: he was doing better _without_ them.

But maybe this time his fatal weakness would be his downfall. Without even slowing down Nanoha silently activated the A.C.S Driver as energy wings erupted from Raising Heart to give her an even bigger boost of speed, and the tip of the energy blade at the center of it all seemed to be gleaming in anticipation of its prey's flesh. _Strike Flame. Oh I am so honored, even if I do take Starlight Breakers to the face often enough to feel numb about it. _By now was calling upon every dredge of magic from his Linker Core and with some quick makeshift version of spell to collect mana from the surroundings, Yuuno supposed that he was about _a quarter_ ready to test the strength of his greatest barrier against Nanoha's shield piercing technique. There was no way in hell or heaven he's going to block this. The young man regretted deeply not asking Nanoha or Teana beforehand about the black secrets behind Starlight Breaker.

"_Do get this one right, will you? I'm dead if you missed her."_

"_That's actually a pretty good idea now that I think about it. Maybe I'll just slow down a little –"_

"_Oi!"_

With the ritual of cracking-a-joke-right-before-you-die done, Yuuno's eyes flared up completely with power as he stretched his hands forwards. Abruptly, all the energy swirling around him bent sharply to his will and gathered at the center of his palm as a single, almost tiny core. Within it hid the strength and soul that made up Yuuno Scrya. Within it hid a power strong enough to rival Nanoha's Starlight Breaker. But he was no good at offensive spells, and so he was only going to do the one thing Yuuno Scrya does best in a brawl. To _defend_. He would probably have no strength to fly after this, and whether he lived or die depended entirely on the outcome of the battle and Vita's benevolence. It was the latter possibility that made him winced and smiled at the same time.

He would not doubt their own victory.

The determined defender whispered, "_Cone Protection." _At once the magical core extended outwards from his palm, and as the title of the spell said it began transforming rapidly like wild flower into a condensed, cone-shaped forcefield. The spell covered just enough to negate any damage from Strike Flame's offensive field, and at the center of his palm where its magical power was the strongest bloomed a sharp tip of green, capable of piercing through even the strongest of defenses. After all, to Yuuno Scrya the greatest offense _is_ the greatest defense. The young man was now prepared to bet his life and limb to secure this one, single victory against one of the greatest mages he had known _and _taught.

"You've become better, Nanoha," Yuuno smiled a little as Strike Flame dove straight for his face, "But I am still your teacher."

Yuuno focused his eyes, and instantly the world slowed down to a crawl as he could see with impressive clarity exactly where the energy blade of Strike Flame was headed. The young man's eyes wasn't particularly special, and on most occasions he have had worn a pair of glasses because his work involved a lot of eye strain. But Yuuno had realized since he was a child that the ability to catch the barest movements with his eyes, to be able to _see _what was too fast or invisible to most people was not a talent, but an invaluable skill that could be honed. And so he had trained eyes over many years to the point that not even a mosquito could escape his view (P.S: It _is _hard to keep up with a mosquito especially across different backgrounds; you could try). The skill would once again prove its worth as Yuuno stared and waited and stared at the incoming death as it sliced air into vacuum with searing heat and terror, not daring to blink while praying to every god in the world _not _for a droplet of sweat to hinder his vision –

"_Haaahhhh!"_ The young man shouted in a battle cry of both hope and despair, and slammed the tip of his own magic directly at the point forming the energy blade. Sparks of magic cut leaped dangerously close to his face as his eyes became completely blinded by white, pink, and a struggling green trying hard not to be destroyed. Yuuno felt the tendons in his right arm ripping into pieces, and he had to clamp his remaining left arm onto the right and hold the damn thing there. He would kill whoever that tries to ask about the pain.

"_Vita, where the hell are you?" _Yuuno thought telepathically to his friend desperately, "_You have less than two seconds to make your move, I'm – !"_

He guessed wrong. Abruptly the magic burned out, and as Yuuno rolled to the side desperately by pure instinct his right arm detonated with impossible pain. The young man didn't even need to see to know that he had just lost his right hand forever, and the only thing that's left on his shoulder was a broken, ugly stump. _Kaiser, _Yunno thought dimly as his consciousness faded in and out, _I'm never going to fucking duel Nanoha in a match ever again._

But the sacrifice paid off. Out of nowhere Vita flashed into existence, and she zipped like a bolt of furious lightning straight for Nanoha's belly. The brunette didn't even seem to notice, and even if she did it was too late, "Good job, ferret! _Taaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!_"

Graf Eisen rammed bodily into soft flesh, and Yuuno could practically feel the feral satisfaction leaking from the corners of Vita's lips. But the wild lady was far from being done. As Nanoha found herself propelled helplessly upwards to the sky, Vita had already reappeared at the perfect spot where the brunette would come to a complete stop, a giant warhammer clutched tightly in her hands.

"Nanoha… _I'm sorry._"

The red knight slammed downwards. The resulting noises was one that Yuuno wished that he would never have to hear ever again for the rest his life. His former friend exploded upon impact into a mess of flesh and bones and blood, and whatever remained of the sack of flesh crashed down to the ground below with the strength of a meteor. Then there was heavy silence.

"Is it over?" Vita asked as she breathed heavily like a dying person, a slight hint of hysteria creeping up on her voice. Yuuno took a glance, and with Graf Eisen drenched in blood and her own clothing dirtied by bits of meat; the red knight certainly did _not _look okay. But what else did he expect when they've just murdered their best friend with worst ways possible? He probably looked like shit himself.

"Well, probably not. Is Fate still alive?"

"Ha, hahaha, do you know how _crazy _your question sound? _Ahahahaha!_"

Yuuno would've chuckled along if his bleeding stump wasn't threatening to kill his consciousness with just pain alone. Then suddenly he began to feel better, and he heard Reunion's voice speaking into his head,

_[Well, I wouldn't say good job, but you get what I mean. I'll take away some of the pain, and you focus on getting the teleportation spell working. Chrono's about to ram his ship in at any moment now.]_

Yuuno's mouth fell slightly open, "_What? _I know the guy's crazy, but ramming _Claudia_ in here? What if Grey Christmas somehow, I don't know, swallow the damn thing up?"

Vita snickered at his loss of verbal control, but at the moment he definitely didn't feel like being conservative with the explicit, _[There was no other way since the other warships refused to help. Anyway we're officially traitors of TSAB now, so who cares? If worse comes to worst, he'll just push the self-destruct button; all the other personnel has left the ship anyway. See? Everything's fine!]_

Now he really couldn't control his stomach. As he chuckled weakly while waves of agonizing laughter swayed the young man left and right, he began making his way back towards Hayate's still form, "Okay, I shall not panic when giant laser beams drilled into the ship. Anyway, I'm going to get Hayate now. How many seconds until you make your entry?"

_[Twenty. And do make absolutely sure that you do not get yourself squashed if the ship proves too heavy or something, okay? That would be hilarious.]_

Yuuno smiled bitterly, "Right. Anyway, Vita, can you take watch while I get Hayate? Don't really feel like getting stabbed in the back right now. It'll be quick."

"…"

"Vita? Are you lis –"

He turned around, and all breath left his lungs at once. He saw a golden figure that was Fate Testarossa floating in the air, and she looked both divine and beautiful and without a single scratch on her skin. Even her Barrier Jacket looked unblemished. On one hand she held the collar of a certain red knight's body, her head missing from its torso and spurting occasional streams of blood. On the other hand held a long black scythe brimming with golden electricity at its blade, and at the end of the blade's tip was a certain knight's missing head, her face still floating the remnants of a gentle smile that seemed to sink right down into his soul.

"Hahaha… I must be dreaming…"

_[… Yuuno. Stop looking, and listen to me. Get Hayate now. Ten seconds left. Yuuno, listen to me!]_

But it was no use. The young man was completely shocked silly, and it was a wonder he hadn't wet his pants or anything of that sort. He had been optimistic. He had let his guard down even though he knew there was yet the missing Fate Testarossa was a potential danger. He didn't watch Vita's back and was too engrossed in the afterglow of victory. It was his fault that Vita died – _he should be the one at the end of that scythe_. The world distorted. He couldn't seem to hear Reunion's voice. Everything seemed to be warping in red, but even then the only thing that stayed clear and true was Fate. His best friend. She smiled at him gently, and looked towards the ground where _she _had fallen. He couldn't resist. He turned to look.

What happened next could scarcely be described with words. Broken bits of flesh crawled across dirty gravel and into that _thing_. Bones of all shape and sizes straightened upwards as if they have life as they jumped unsteadily at the same direction. Blood so crimson he could barely make out with his magically enhanced eyes was being absorbed from the splatter pool and into the wriggling flesh. Fabrics became joined, pieces were sewed. The popping sounds he never wanted to hear again popped. A lot more sounds that he could delete permanently for his memories became stuck forever in his mind. And there _she _was standing perfectly whole again, complete with her trademark well-tied ponytail fluttering against the wind. Then she turned to look at him, and _smiled._

He did not move as she flew slowly to his front.

He did not respond when she whispered a gentle kiss to his cheek.

He felt hands pressing against his neck, then tightening. They felt _cold_. So, so cold.

_Riiiip._

* * *

><p><strong><em>[?]<em>**

_She continued her journey towards the shattering sounds. She counted six, and they were all unique with its own ethereal quality. She was curious, oh so curious. But as she made her ways towards them, she began to see more and more bodies. She counted them, and there were She didn't like them, for although they were all interesting, they made many weird twinges inside her heart. Still the note popped into her hand. Still she had to read._

_"Ginga Nakajima. Committed suicide by digging out her own heart."_

_"Nove Nakajima. Death by car accident as a bone stabbed up her heart. She died not knowing that she sacrificed her life to save an illusion."_

_"Wendi Nakajima. Beaten to death. Her sisters ripped her apart as she was drowned by guilt towards ghosts of the past."_

__"Caro Ru Lushe. Raped to death. She broke halfway through the ordeal, but machines have no feelings."__

__Erio Mondel. Death by fire, before he was gobbled up whole by a certain very mad dragon. If only he could have heard the Voltaire's satisfied burp..."__


	15. Chapter 12 Finale

**Author's Note: Two long years, and although I kind of need to edit a lot of stuff since I churned as many as 30,000 words in a week, but... it was worth it. This is the final chapter of The Two Goddesses... Thank you.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>[REUNION]<strong>_

My parents had lived their lives fairly normally and simplistic. Dad was thirty years old and a banker in a merchant bank ten minutes from our apartment, and mum being two years younger but no less hardworking, had worked at a food stall cooking for hundreds of hungry men every day. Some days had sunk into hardships, some days rumbled with joy, and most passed by fairly dull and simple as they usually do. They were the definition of an average decent human, and fit in perfectly within ninety percent of the society. Life was pretty good, as many people were inclined to agree.

Then on year 0074 January 1st mum became pregnant, and three weeks later the continuous symptoms finally alerted them to my existence. My parents had not wanted a baby so early to focus on their careers, and so they always loved each other with proper protection, but it was not up to them to choose whether I was to be born to this world. Still they have accepted me wholeheartedly, and on October 10th I was born at a modest hospital wailing like the thunder. Born inside me was also an ancient, thought-to-be-extinct magic titled Heart Seeker, though I did not know about that until I was three years old.

My birth proved to be one of the luckiest things that have ever happened to my parents. The next day my dad scored himself a terrific business deal, perfect with a superb presentation and cunning persuasive skill, and the boss just happened to be nearby to watch it all. He decided to give him a chance to handle some of the tougher jobs, and my dad persevered through them all with one of the most brilliant performances he ever had in his life. Since then his career had propelled like a rocket into space, and the pure laughter from his throat rang about as often as the handful of money that kept rolling in like free.

My mum too found herself blessed when a taster found her food tongue-teasingly fantastic and decided to fund her stall into a full-fledged restaurant. Of course the expansion process had been difficult, and at times she worked through the night to prepare the food, furnishthe store, hire workers, calculate the budget (though with my dad around it would take a crowbar for someone to try and pry off a single penny) and all sorts of troubles. In the end it all turned out well, and two years later Midori Café has at least twenty branches in a single state, and many more throughout the whole country.

We became rich. It was hard not to when good things kept happening on a daily basis, and it was so frequent that it scared my parents about as often as they were happy. You couldn't help but doubt whether the Gods were _really _watching over your backs when your grandmother's broken back suddenly healed, a distant uncle had their final stage cancer cured, and your twenty years old dog wrecked the house like it was five. And when impossible events like these happened on monthly intervals, you started to wonder why.

But despite all of the fame and power and glory they've obtained, my parents have never succumbed to moral corruption. They were scrupulously honest, good-natured and often involved themselves in volunteer activities whenever they're free. While they've donated a generous sum of money to all sorts of charity, my parents did not believe that money was the solution to everything, and they stayed true to their belief and have never wavered once. Bribery? No. Flattery? No thanks. Eating meat on Friday? Would you please get out of the house?

I was a blessed child. I walked at the first month ran the second, and when I was three month's old I was calling out my parent's names like a freak of nature. Not _dada _or _mama, _but Mr Anders Jackson and Mrs Felisha Jackson. At two years old I was considered a never-seen-before genius, as seen from my fluency – or as fluent as a two years old child can be – with at least four different languages, and I could perform multiplication of numbers without difficulty. In fact I had developed a basic understanding of the human world and even personal opinions in the many social issues and problems addressed daily from the radio. My talents frightened even myself. It was as if I _knew _that twelve times twelve equals one four four, it was as if I _knew _that the box with four wheels is a car, it was as if I _knew _that asking whether sex was really that great would get me burned on a stake. I knew _far too much_… and I understood none of it until that fateful day. Until the day I turned three on October 10th and celebrated my first and last birthday with my family.

That day had gone by fairly normal, and since my parents disliked a pretentious crowd we spent most of the day travelling the town as a family. Those times had been happy. Those times had been beautiful. And up till that night, right up to the moment I made a wish and was about to blow out the candle, everything was just fine. Terrifically fine.

I blew, and they fell. At first I couldn't understand. They fainted, I thought with panic, mum and dad fainted and I need to call for help. When I took the next step, an intense vertigo struck into the depths of mind, and I too fell to the ground and joined my parents. However, I learned that my fate was different from my parents. I learned that I have inherited the Heart Seeker, and with it all the wisdom in the world it possessed since immemorial time, and the one attribute that made it the greatest magic in the entire universe.

I've inherited the power to control hearts. The power that had manipulated the people around me to create a stream of impossible 'miracles'. The power that had injected my parents with the infallible strength and belief to succeed. I later realized that the effects of the magic affected not just the people around me, but also the entire country.

The next day my parents woke up, free from the spell of Heart Seeker and their daily dose of soul strengthening drugs. Dad had drool leaking into a puddle on the floor, and mum shitted her pants.

A week later, they hanged themselves on the golden chandelier at the living room.

Forty days later, every people in the state committed mass suicide.

* * *

><p>"Chrono, stop."<p>

The Admiral spared not a single glance at me and continued jostling with the door's panel without success. Of course he couldn't; I've already destroyed all the door panels on the entrance that connect to the escape pods beforehand. I tried again,

"Chrono, that's _enough_. I understand your concerns, but I must go in there and save her."

Abruptly he slammed his fists on the door hard enough for me to jump, his face livid with anger and uncharacteristic panic, "And how are you supposed to do that, charge headfirst _alone_ into those two monsters and _die_? She's _gone_, Reunion, and you mustn't follow her!"

Five minutes ago, we had taken advantage of the TSAB ships' immobility – they had to power the Seven Walls and stop the shroud's advance – and the _Claudia_ fired up her engines to nosedive against the disgusting membrane-like wall. At the very last second before impact the _Claudia_ fired her laser cannon at full strength directly into the shroud, and with the combined elements of both firepower and super mass, the ship finally managed to pierce through the damn thing, albeit at a very weird angle. But by then Yuuno Scrya had already died, and Chrono had proposed that we immediately leave this dimension and hide before the TSAB snarls. However, I have other plans in mind, and I saw that the escape pods have a conveniently clear shot to where Hayate was. Hence the current awkward situation.

I shook my head promptly, "No. Grey Christmas has plans for Hayate, or they would not have allowed Hayate to stay alive until now if they really wanted her dead. I must stop it. And as for how I'm going to get past those two, well… that's a trade secret."

"Even if you somehow managed to save Hayate, this entire place is going to be destroyed in a matter of minutes! Neither of you are going to make it out of the place in time!"

"Chrono," I said severely as I thought back to Yuuno's tragic decapitation, "Sometimes being dead is better than alive. Do you wish to see Hayate changed into those terrible creatures just like Fate and Nanoha did?"

The admiral's eyes widened once, but he quickly recovered, "It no longer matters. The TSAB is determined to eliminate Grey Christmas even if it means destroying the Mid-Childa. They will all perish."

"_It matters to me_," the words fell out of my mouth with more anger than intended, "And suppose if they escaped before the bombardment then – by the gods, I can't _believe_ I'm saying this shit line – the entire universe would be in danger. I must go."

"Well then did you ever think that _you _yourself might make the fourth count of their number? And Hayate wouldn't want you to die with her, or worse! You _have _to live, for her sake!"

"And I too wanted Hayate to live," I said with a slight smile, "Though it would seem that option is as plugged as a corked bottle. At the very least I would _not _allow her to fall into the enemy hands and turned into something that's not Hayate. This is the end of the discussion, Chrono. I'm sorry, and goodbye."

Abruptly the entire door exploded, and it was by a hair's breadth that I managed to jump out of the way. I clicked my tongue and cursed myself; can't believe how sloppy I am not to get the signs of petty tricks from Chrono. The admiral held S2U with one arm and the damned tip of the staff was pointing rudely against my face, "I would not let you. I'm sorry, but you're coming with me whether you like it or not. Conscious, or _unconscious_."

"Admiral Harlaown, I'm not sure if that is a wise decision," I felt no fear to fight against the veteran; it was the loss of precious time that I'm most concerned about now, "I am the worst kind of opponent for a calculative person like you to ever fight against. And more importantly, we're wasting time."

"How surprising, I'm off the same opinion!" Chrono said with heavy sarcasm, "As you said, your magic is an advantage and years of desk work did dull my skills. But if you actually believe for a second that I will go down easily," the black staff began brimming with blue energy, and I had to suppress a deep sigh from the depths of my heart. _I'm an idiot, aren't I?_ "Think again, _boy._"

* * *

><p><em><strong>[?]<strong>_

_She read it all. Oh, she read every line in the short sentences, every word in the lines. And every time she did she felt the weird twinge in her heart, again and again, each time growing stronger and more uncomfortable. Ah,_ _she thought to herself with apprehension_, _uncomfortable. So that's the word for the things she disliked. The realization filled her with unexpected delight, but they quickly faded in a blink of an eye. She should've known that word, she thought. She felt like she should've known a lot more, but have dropped them all somewhere she couldn't find. Where did she drop them? What did she forget? Why is it that I feel like I'm missing something _important?

_The more she thought, the more things she remember. Things of all forms such as words, images, memories, sounds, voices, tastes, touch, warmth, _cold._ She didn't like the cold. _Pain. _She didn't like pain. _Sadness. _She didn't like sadness either. Suddenly she was terrified – while remembering _fear_ – of all the things that kept pouring into her body like an endless stream of water. _What if there are more bad things than good?_ she crouched shivering in fear as the things kept dropping like a bucket of stone bricks, _What if the bad things become monsters and eat me? _Instinctively she swung a hand at an incoming word, and poof goes the word. She tried it again at a photo of people, and poof goes the photo. She was first surprised, then really happy. She can protect herself! She can make all the bad things go away! She began swinging and hitting and flailing and batting and stomping and screaming until finally, everything stopped coming at her. Finally, she was left alone. She was safe. Safe!_

_But then she recalled that not all of them were simply bad things, and that there were good things mixed with the bad things as well. She couldn't know until they actually go inside her. Did she hurt the good things? Did she make them go poof? But she was just trying to hit the bad things, she didn't mean for the good things to go away. The thought stewed inside her with unbearable _guilt_, and she decided that she wouldn't think about it anymore and continue her journey._

_So she walked. So she ran. Finally she came to the spot, and she noticed on the floor six broken gems. Each of them held a different color, and each of them looked wonderful to her eyes. She made her choice picked up the red one, and suddenly she saw a little red girl wearing a weird red dress while yelling cutely. She laughed at the sight, she wanted to hug her. Then suddenly the little girl's head fell off, and everything became silent once more. She frowned. She didn't like it. And so she threw it away into the darkness and never looked back._

_She picked up a second gem, one that glowed of red and pink. She saw a dignified and serious-eyed woman who held in her hand a menacingly-looking sword, but when she spoke her voice sounded warm and gentle and kind. She smiled at the sight, she wanted to hug her. Then suddenly the woman fell apart, her waist cut cleanly into two, and everything became silent once more. She frowned. She didn't like it. For some reason she began to felt _frantic_, and frantically she picked up a third green gem._

_They were all same, they were all broken. Each time the people had smiled and laughed and lived as bright as the sun, and each time they had _died _and _broke _and _crumbled_ into the darkness as surely as _sin._ The discomfort filled into her chest until she thought she could explode, and suddenly _tears_ flowed down her cheeks like an endless fall of rain. Why? Why did they feel so familiar, and yet so distant? Why did they shine so bright and beautiful, but yet still crumbled into nothingness? She cried. She cried. She cried until her tears were dry. She cried until her lungs felt burned and her knees felt weak. She knelt to the ground. She waited for the same fate. She waited for the darkness to kill her and make her crumble into nothingness too._

"Not yet."

_A voice. A warm voice. A voice she thought that she remember. She looked up from the ground, and she saw a beautiful white gem shining with the brightest light. _It was different,_ she thought, _it wasn't broken. _And the most amazing of all is that it _spoke _to her. It was wonderful. It was amazing. She slowly approached it, but was afraid to touch. She didn't want to see people dying again._

"You mustn't give up. You have to remember. If you lose to – _Za shaaaaa _– now then all will be meaningless."

_The voice was urgent. The voice was insistent. Suddenly she decided that she didn't quite like the gem and tried to turn away, but for some reason her feet couldn't move. Her heart felt heavy. The gem meant sadness, the gem meant _suffering_, but somehow, she felt like she needed to stay. Why?_

_Suddenly the gem blink rapidly, and the light dimmed with fading strength. She felt alarmed by it. She felt fear, _"So they've found me… Not like I expect to hide much longer anyway. Listen to me. You _have _to remember. You are my Mistress, and my Mistress is _strong_. She will never be afraid of sadness. Never be afraid against despair. And most of all, she will _never _be afraid of death, because she has something that she _must_ protect. Remember yourself. Recall your name. I –"

_Red. Blood red color seeped through from the center of the gem, and suddenly she found herself leaping forwards and grabbed the gem firmly in her arms. Suddenly a figure blurred into view, and she saw a beautiful white fairy kneeling on the ground with crimson droplets seeping through her stomach, her face wracked with pain. _No, _she held the petite girl and shouted in fright, _Don't leave me.

"Too late," _the white fairy coughed, her frown twitching with difficulty into a smile, _"I will die. But _you_ are alive. Your heart is still here. But if you don't defend yourself, if you let them do what they want, then you will _die._ No, you will turn into something else. A _monster_. So remember your name already, I – _Kaaackk!_"

_The fairy coughed terribly, and the spits of blood narrowly missed her cheeks by an inch. Her tears were flowing again, _why, _her heart felt like it would burst with sadness, _don't… die on me!

"They're not shutting me up this easily… _Kukk!... _But guess I'll have to take a shortcut even though I don't like it… even if it may even be one of their plans. Remember this, remember your name. Your name is – _Shaak saaaa – Don't turn away from your own name! _No matter how much suffering, no matter how much pain, we will _never _abandon you, so _don't you dare abandon your own identity! Haya… te!"_

_And she was gone. The silver fairy crumbled into white wisps of dust and went away. The once whole white gem crumbled into nothing but dust. She tried to hold her, she tried to protect her, but in the end she could do nothing. _Nothing. Not again. Not. Again. _She screamed. She screamed. She screamed._

_Abruptly a swirl of invisible energy began pulling at her feet, and try as she might she could not escape. She could not fight it, she was losing control. As she found herself dragged further and further away from the white dust that had been her family, her partner, her soul mate, she tried to scream out the fairy's name._

_She couldn't remember._

* * *

><p><em><strong>[REUNION]<strong>_

As expected, the fight didn't take long. Both of us knew that we're short of time albeit for different reasons, and both of us were determined enough not to give in to another's idea. But I would've lost, I knew, if Chrono hadn't decided to capture me with as little harm as possible. After all, there wasn't much room to maneuver within the small room of single exit, and even less ways to pull clever tricks. Perhaps I was ashamed to say that I went as far as to kick the man in the groin, but hey, my hair was still frozen solid from the bold ice blast he had tried to use and end the fight.

Now that I stood staring at the limp, unmoving figure on the ground, I was faced with a different dilemma. What exactly do I do with him? Number one, the guy was definitely _not _unconscious, and he's waiting for the exact moment I approach close to him and take me out. Number two, the escape pod that I wanted to use was just a few meters in front of him, and I don't think that I could get in first without him wrestling me to the ground. Number three. Even if I _did_ knock him out, Chrono Hawlaown was now a fugitive, and if I leave him here the vultures at TSAB are going to pick his bones clean. Bringing him along to Grey Christmas is absolutely out of the question.

So many problems, so little time. I thought harder of a way out of the situation. For once though, luck seemed to be on my side.

"_Ah~ ah~ ahem! Hello? Can the two of you hear me? Never mind, I see you can!"_

Amy Harlaown's voice buzzed through the comm speaker, and both of us froze instinctively with indecision. For me it was a golden chance to knock Admiral Harlaown out cold, but through reading his mind the man obviously thought the same too. However, there were other things that he was worried about, and after deciding that it would be useless to play dead he slowly got up to his feet, and frowned deeply.

"Amy, where are you calling in from? Don't tell me you're still on _Claudia!_"

"_Actually, yes, I'm calling this from somewhere veeeery near to you guys. Very, very near."_

"Stop with the jokes, this isn't funny! You must get away from here no – Arghh!?"

There was a heavy _thunk_, and the admiral dropped a few steps forwards with intense pain etched on his face. But Chrono was tough and as he tried to recover, I seized the opportunity to deliver a solid punch to the bottom of his jaws. This time, finally, the young man fell face flat on the ground truly and completely out cold. Standing behind was naturally no other than Amy Hawlaown herself, holding a tiny, box-like device in her hand and very likely hacked the room's internal comm speaker to create the diversion. Quite the frightening skill to be honest, because she was perhaps the only one who could ever sneak up onto Chrono like that without making a sound.

I tried to mutter a thanks – is it even the right thing to do? – but the words came out lamely, "Er, thank you. It would've been hard."

"Don't sweat it, I'm doing this for him, too. His sense of responsibility is way too strong at too many occasions," Amy gaze fell steadily on my eyes, "I suppose that you're going then? Absolutely not going to change your mind?"

"No," I nodded, "My place is with Hayate, and she will be the last. That is something that I've decided on since a very long time ago."

"I see. I guess I'll start moving my boy away and not bother you then?" Amy smiled good-naturedly. As she heaved her husband with easy grace and ease onto her shoulders, I thought that any man Amy set her eyes on was probably lucky, though I wouldn't count the fees spent to consult a psychiatrist about a man's pride. She waved a hand and said, "Well goodbye, Reunion. I didn't really know you, but I wish you good luck with your journey."

"You seem awfully relaxed even though a nine years old kid just said to march to his death," I joked a little before palming the pod's control panel. The steel door slid open, and I stepped in without haste, though I inclined my head slightly outwards to see if she would reply.

"You forget that I've seen nine years olds making miracles like they're nothing," The woman floated a knowing smile on her face, "and I was glad that I'm part of it even though it's such a long time ago. You may not believe me, but somehow…" She turned away and began walking away, but the strong confidence in her voice was unmistakable, "I don't think you will die, and neither will Hayate. So… I'll see you later, Reunion. We'll meet again."

Her back winked out of view, and I was left standing there stunned and holding up a hand, unsure of what I want to say to her even if I did. Groundless assumption, baseless fact, and overly optimistic. That was what I thought of her opinion, and yet Amy Hawlaown did not seem a person who would avert her eyes from reality. She really did believe every word she just said.

I pulled my head back in, and tapped in the emergency code. As the door slid quietly close, a weak mutter escaped my lips before I knew aimed at the disappeared figure, "Thanks," and I thought I heard her shouting 'you're welcome' right back. That's impossible.

A very fortunate man, Chrono Hawlaown. I pressed the ejection button.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[?]<strong>_

_I am Hayate._

She woke up with a mind completely empty and without thought, her eyes unblinking as she stared blankly at a most bizarre spectacle. Directly above her and sticking out of the bleeding sky was a most amazing object which was _huge_ in size and silver black in color. It took her some time to recognize it as a XV class TSAB warship, and because it looked to have crashed in at a weird angle recognition had been slightly difficult. In truth, she couldn't even remember what the abbreviation 'XV' stands for, and even the meaning of the most familiar 'TSAB' eluded her like smoke. It did not really matter though; the brunette didn't feel the slightest need to divine their meaning.

She looked to her right. There sat a most familiar shadow whose golden hair trailed against the wind and eyes blazed burgundy like fine wine. The blonde watched her with a gentle look in the eyes, and the small curl at the corner of her lips indicated joy at her awakening. She knew this person. A name floated naturally to her lips, and the brunette whispered aloud with a little fear, hoping that she wasn't mistaken.

"Fate… Fate Testarossa?"

The blonde smiled widely upon hearing the name, and nodded once. Suddenly she felt a surge of real happiness rising up to her throat, and the brunette smiled widely and tried to sit up. But to her surprise she had no energy at her waist and no matter how much she tried she just couldn't sit. _Why am I so weak?_ The most she could do was the wriggle her fingers, and even lifting her arm was an excruciatingly tiring feat. It was frustrating, but the blonde did not seem to care, and so she simply relaxed and continued to lie on the floor. Surely her strength would return sooner or later.

Suddenly Fate smiled a little wider and pointed to the right, and she followed her direction and found another pretty woman. She tied a single ponytail that flowed smoothly down her waist, and her eyes were a dashing violet that could enchant the toughest soul. Her face betrayed youthfulness, her lips said of impishness unknown that she felt tempted to taste. It was yet another person she seemed to know, and so she rolled her tongue and allowed the words to drop, "Na… Nanoha Takamichi?"

The brunette smiled gently while exhibiting an unexpected aura of maturity, and unexpectedly she extended a palm to pat at her head. It felt immensely soothing, and the fatigue in her body seemed to fade away at the girl's magical touch. _A mother's touch_, she recalled suddenly with delight, _she has a mother's touch_. Again she tried to sit upright, and this time she managed to pull up a few inches upwards before falling again. Still, it was a disappointment. She sorely wished that her body wasn't so weak, especially when she could not even remember what happened to her at the first place.

_I am Hayate Yagami._

Nanoha suddenly became more animated; her mouth opening and closing rapidly even though she couldn't hear a single word. Hayate raised a sheepish palm to stop her, and asked, "Do you have a sore throat? I can't hear what you say. Can you go a little slower?"

" – – – – –"

She watched the girl's lips move intently, and as the Nanoha patiently repeated her sentence again and again, Hayate gradually began to understand what she's saying. She was delighted at the news,

"Really? My body will be able to move if I help you with something? Well, I don't know what I can do in this state, but, sure!"

Nanoha smiled. Fate smiled. They shuffled a little closer, and she felt two pairs of warm hands holding both her back and arms with kind caution. At first she didn't know what the duo intended to do, but when they started pushing and she found herself lifted upwards, her heart became filled with delight. It's great that they're going to move her. "Thank you," she said quickly, and as her view finally changed she began looking excitedly around, glad to see and perhaps know the world around her. Slowly the pair moved and carried each of her hand on their shoulders, and they started walking her

What she saw filled her with wonder and amazement. She found herself standing on the rooftop of a skyscraper and the top of the world, and everywhere the ground were filled with pitch black ruins of all kinds of buildings as far as she could see. "This is so picturesque!" She laughed, "It's like the wasteland or apocalypse that people loved to talk about!"

The duo smiled at the compliment, and for a while the three of them simply watched the world in its destructed glory, enjoying the feel of a rough wind blowing solidly against their figures. She felt a little cold, and immediately her friends moved a little closer to keep her warm. She felt very comfortable within their embrace. She felt like she could just sleep like this.

Suddenly Fate nudged her at the ribs, and she turned to see a serious expression on the blonde's face. It was kind of cute. She suppressed a giggle and asked happily, "What is it? Is there something you need?"

" – – – – –"

That was a peculiar question; she didn't think that they would feel insecurity, "Hmm? Do I like you two? Of course! You're my friends, right? Even if you're not, you've been really kind to me."

" – – – – –"

"Do I want to _join_ you? What does that mean? A group? I guess it should be fine, er, you're not trying to scam me, are you?"

" – – – – –"

"Hahaha! Okay, I'll just have to perform a… ritual, is it? Show me the way then!"

The two of them nodded solemnly at first, and then smiled kindly again as if to soothe her anxiety. She was feeling fine though, like, what's there to be afraid about? Slowly they turned her around, one step at a time as if dancing a ritual, and good feelings and anticipation she followed suit and saw –

"_You have to – remember –_"

The brunette froze. She saw six people laid ceremoniously on the ground in a star shape formation. They were obviously dead, as each one of them was grotesquely deformed in one way or another. Some bodies were missing heads, one had the upper half of her body exploded, and there was even a wolf-like animal that looked completely charred in black. The floor where the bodies laid were completely soaked in pools of black blood, and when the brunette noticed that the spot she slept not long ago was just inches away from one such pool, she thought numbly if her hair were dipped in blood. She had not expected this. She had not wanted this. Her head seemed to ring with a million warning bells.

"Erm," she tried laughing to no avail, "Okay, is this the important things you two wanted to show me? I… I'm sorry, but I don't think I like it…"

" – – – – –"

"_What? _Why? I don't want to go near them, much less … _killing_ them a second time! What does that even mean?!" the brunette struggled against the duo, but she was simply too weak as they held her tightly. This time it was Nanoha who tried to convince her, and the look in the woman's eyes told her that she was _not_ joking.

" – – – – –"

"You mean I'll be able to move if I do it? I'll heal?... But… but I… it's just so cruel!"

" – – – – –"

"I know, I know they're already dead, I know they won't feel a thing, but –" The brunette was confused, she didn't know what to do. On one hand she really wanted to move her body freely, and apparently stabbing those corpses was the only way that would work. One the other she felt an incredible rejection towards the act, and the feeling grew so intense that her head suddenly ached with tormenting pain. She didn't want to do it. She felt as if she would lose something important if she did.

Nanoha looked at her sadly and began patting her head again, and thankfully her headache and fears seemed to subside along with it. But what she said next absolutely chilled the brunette to the bone,

"What do you mean you can't take me if I don't? You mean I'll have to stay here alone!? But I don't want to, it's… it's scary! Please don't leave me!"

" – – – – –"

"But I… I… is there no other way? I just… I…"

_It is the only way_, they say. _Trust us, trust us, we will never leave you, but you have to come with us. You have to do it._ _It is the only way for you to leave this World. Don't you want to see more… with us? _The brunette repeated their words again and again in her head, trying to convince herself. She had never felt more torn and indecisive in her entire life. What Fate and Nanoha had said sounded logical. She wanted to be free. She wanted to see more than this world alone. She wanted to be healed again and run around with her own two feet, but most of all she _never_ wanted to be alone again. The brunette didn't know why, the fear of being alone frightened her so much that she was shivering against her own will. And to get what she wanted, all she needed to do was to eliminate the obstacle. All she needed to do was to _kill them one more time._ It sounded terrifying, but there are few things in the world that aren't. They're right, they're _right_. These people are already dead anyway, what did it matter? She doesn't even _know_ them, so it's okay, it's… okay…

"What," She said shakily, praying very hard that her nerves wouldn't break, "should I do?"

The duo looked relieved at the question, and Fate took out something from her pocket and put it in the brunette's palm. It was a small golden cross tied to a neat looking golden chain, and for some reason the ornament felt very familiar, and as the brunette fisted the item and swung it reflexively outwards, she was surprised to see that a magnificent golden staff flashing with beautiful white sparks into her hand. It calmed her down a little. She looked at her friends, and they nodded towards her.

Now she just had to kill these people with this staff, and it will be all over.

They let her go. At first she was afraid that she might fall, but when she stumbled forwards the brunette was surprised to see that she has strength in her legs, even though she couldn't even sit up before. She looked back at the duo dubiously, but Nanoha gave her a thumbs-up while patting her own chest, and Fate jabbed Nanoha's head playfully and turned to smile encouragingly at her. Seeing their playful jesting made her fear even lesser than before. _They're lending their strength to me, _Hayate thought strongly, _I mustn't let them down._ And so she began walking slowly towards the corpses, and with each step the brunette felt strength returning into her body until her feet felt like springs.

Finally she reached the closest body, and she was a tall and dignified looking woman whose appearances even in death seemed to be brimming with energy. Her hands were joined with a much younger looking girl with fiery hair and eyes, and coincidentally both bodies were decapitated at the center of the stomach. Maybe it's not a coincidence, but she could care less about it. The brunette held the golden staff tightly and wondered, _What should I do next?_ Even though her friends had said that she needed to kill these bodies twice, she didn't have a clue how to actually do it. The brunette turned back to look at them again, but this time the duo said nothing and simply waited for her move. She was on her own.

The brunette looked at the woman once more, and walked until she was standing directly beside her body. The pain that assaulted her head seemed to be worse than ever, but surely that's because that somehow someway, these bodies were trying to stop her. To hurt her bad enough that she couldn't act against them. She felt an unknown anger rising up to her chest, and muttered, "So you think you could keep me here forever?" She raised her staff high to the sky with its sharp end aiming directly for the woman's chest, "You think you can lock me up and be forever alone?! You'll _never_ imprison me! I will be free… I _will be free!_"

She brought the staff downwards with all her strength, and –

* * *

><p>"<em>Signum, you don't really have to do this you know, pushing me to the park every day. You should try and find things that you want to do for yourself."<em>

"_Then this is what I want to do, Mistress," Signum said seriously, "To stay with you. Unless my company is not needed?"_

"_Of course not! I am very happy!"_

* * *

><p>She stopped short just millimeters away from puncturing the woman's chest. What was that? What was that scene she saw just now?<p>

* * *

><p><em>Finally she was done with school, and as she entered home the brunette instinctively yelled, "Ah~ I'm so tired I can die. I need a bath. Servants!"<em>

"_Yes, Mistress."_

_Suddenly Signum showed up out of nowhere complete with a towel, soap and shampoo in her hands. She wondered how flabbergasted her face was right now, because she had not expected anyone to be at home. They were supposed to be on assignment today._

"_I, er, I didn't know you were – it was a joke."_

"_All the same, it was something that we would've done if you ever ask. I am in fact surprised that you never tried exercising this power. Are you allergic?" Signum said with a slight smile._

"…"

"… _Mistress?"_

"_You cracked a joke, Signum," her mouth was agape at the stunning revelation, "You cracked a joke _on purpose_."_

"… _I guess I did? Was it bad?" Signum bowed her head with a slight tint of pink on her cheeks._

_Quickly she waved her hands and shook her head, "No, no! It was good, I like it a lot, and… I'd like to hear some more in the future, okay?"_

_Signum looked up with surprise on her face, but it quickly melted into a smile as she nodded, "Yes… Mistress."_

* * *

><p>Her hands shivered uncontrollably. Her feet felt weak. That little girl couldn't be her; she didn't remember. She didn't know this woman, she didn't know <em>any <em>of them, she –

* * *

><p>"<em>Vita, what's wrong? You've been brooding all day."<em>

_The little red warrior looked up in surprise, staring into her face with a misty look in her eyes. The confusion quickly cleared up though as Vita began to shake her head quickly, "No no, it's nothing, nothing to worry about."_

"_I don't mind, but when you're spacing out it so obviously I had to know, right?" she smiled gently and hugged Vita from behind. The red head was completely caught off guard and instinctively tried to struggle, but she quickly ceased movement and simply allowed their body warmth to comfort each other._

_After a while, Vita looked up to her and asked hesitatingly, "… would it be a bother to you if I talk about something bad?"_

"_You are _never _a bother, Vita. Whenever you have troubles or worries, you can always come to me," the brunette smiled like a bright-lit sun, "Okay?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>So you do this, and this, put two teaspoons of sugar in it, and… done!" The brunette smacked her hands together with satisfaction, and she offered the completed fruit drink to Shamal and said, "There, try it!"<em>

_The healer accepted the bowl gratefully and took a sip. She exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my, this is really good. It's not overly sweet, and I can taste… three types of fruits in it I think? Oh my."_

"_You guessed right. Apples, oranges and watermelon. The last one's flavor is a little hard to bring out, but with practice anyone can do the same. So now you're going to try making it yourself!"_

"_Huh?" Shamal stared blankly at her smiling face, and a second later she replied with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry I can't, Mistress. You know I'm er… pretty bad at cooking. I'm sure that it wouldn't turn out good."_

"_Shamal," suddenly the girl's demeanor became very serious, and the blonde instinctively straightened herself, "Are you saying that you're going to give up without even trying? So you failed a lot of times, so what? It took me a week to make something passable, and another month to perfect the recipe. I failed a lot of times too, but I didn't give up, and this is the result. You can do the same too."_

"_But I –"_

"_No buts! C'mon, get started now or the ingredients are going to go to waste because I am not putting them back!" she singsong and shoved at Shamal's back. At first her face was wracked with hesitation, but later the healer simply smiled gratefully and obliged to her Mistress' request. After all, she could never let down her Mistress' expectations._

* * *

><p>But she did know them. She should've known the moment she saw the bodies, but she had chosen to ignore her own heart and follow her own selfish desires. And worst of all, she had purposely avoided the one question that she should've asked from the very beginning. The one question would've given definition to her true existence.<p>

_Who am I?_

* * *

><p>"<em>Agito."<em>

"_What?"_

_The brunette smiled bitterly at the Unison Device's sullen response. Three days ago the fire fairy was officially adopted into the Yagami family to start her new life together with Signum. However, they quickly discovered that Agito was less than happy to be associated with any of them other than Signum, and her heavy prejudice towards TSAB personnel – literally everyone in the house – did not make things easier. As a knight who was more accustomed to the sword than words, Signum had come to her asking for help, and naturally she agreed since she did want Agito to truly be part of the family. And that's why she's here blocking at the kitchen door before the Unison Device could escape on this night of full moon. Which she tried._

"_I just want to talk to you. Is that okay?"_

"_You're Signum's Mistress, and I am Signum's Unison Device. Just do whatever you want."_

_Hmm, this could be a little tricky, "Okay. I'll be straightforward with you then: Do you hate us?"_

_Agito looked at her with surprise, "That _is _straightforward, and the answer's no. Why?"_

"_Well, it's just that you look like you're pretty unhappy since you came here, and I thought that we might be the reason," she palmed the refrigerator beside her to feel its coolness, "What do you think?"_

_Agito looked away uncomfortably, "It's not that I hate any of you; I know you're… better than most of those TSAB scums. I'm just… not sure how to speak to all of you. Zest wasn't exactly the best chatting partner ever, and most of the time he was simply trying to hold the pain…"_

_Her expression turned dark, but the brunette did not try to interrupt the fairy. It would be in bad taste to not let her properly mourn the memories of her former partner, so she waited until Agito looked ready to speak again, "I didn't know Zest, but Signum said that he was a brave and honorable knight."_

"_He was," Agito nodded solemnly._

"_So maybe you can talk to us about Zest," she said seriously, "Let us know so that his name will be remembered. We would like to know a good man, even if he is no longer in this world."_

_Instantly the fairy's face darkened as if it would explode, "If you actually think this is funny –"_

"_I'm serious," she stared right into Agito's eyes without the slightest hesitation and silenced her, "I am not to make fun of you. I would really like to hear about your former partner, if you do wish to tell, as well as anything else you'd like to say… I'm sorry if I've offended you."_

_For a long while the Device did not speak, staring at the moon that bathed the kitchen with gentle light. Finally she said, "I will try, to talk more in the future. Unfortunately there isn't much I can talk about Zest, since he was very secretive and mostly quiet. And also, I would think that he'd appreciate it better if I kept quiet and let him pass on peacefully."_

_She nodded, "That is fine."_

_Agito looked at her again, and for the first time there was something more in those eyes than just suspicion and disdain. Something that's akin to awakening respect mixed with much uncertainty. Trust would require a little more time. Love… longer as well. But that was fine. This is a start, and she believed firmly that Agito would definitely warm up to them and become a true member of the Yagami family._

"_So, now that is done," the brunette smiled impishly, "You want some watermelon juice?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Zafira, can I ask a question?"<em>

"_What is it, Mistress?"_

_It was a hot sunny Saturday and the brunette was taking a rare break from her duties. It happened that the Guardian Beast was at home and napping peacefully on the carpet when she returned. Although she tried to tiptoe past him to avoid waking him up, Zafira's excellent senses had alerted him ever of her presence since she was at the front gate, so said the Guardian Beast with a straight face towards the brunette's chagrin smile. Now they're napping together with her on the sofa and he at the exact same spot as before._

"_Why are you always a wolf nowadays? You used to be in human form a lot more frequently."_

"_It reduces my mana usage," Zafira answered, "and I attract less attention here in this form than the puppy form Arf taught me."_

"_Hmm. But doesn't that mean that you seldom communicate with people? There aren't many familiars even in Mid-Childa, and most people would not try to talk to one. Isn't it lonely?"_

"_I've never thought about it, Mistress, there is no need to worry."_

"_Ah, but I _do _worry. It is my responsibility if anyone of my family members turned out anti-social or lonely. Hmm," she began thinking, "Is there anything you'd want to do? Any hobbies, likes, et cetera; maybe we can put your human form to use."_

"_I'm not sure. But really, there's no need –"_

"_Zafira," Her voice turned stern, and the Guardian Beast immediately became quiet, "Remember the first thing I taught you all when you first showed up? Never treat yourself as just a thing. If you have a legitimate reason – work doesn't count! – to stay in Wolf Form such as er, playing with kids in the playground then that would've been fine, but I would not accept something completely impersonal like 'reduce mana usage', okay?!"_

"_But," Zafira asked uncomfortably, "What _can _I do in my Human Form? I am seldom needed at social parties, and I don't exactly need to put my martial arts to use outside of duties."_

_All the sudden the brunette's eyes gleamed with an unholy twinkle and Zafira knew instantly that whatever his Mistress has in mind, there would be no refusing on his part. He should've kept his mouth shut. Slowly his Mistress approached him slowly with a devilish smile on her face, "Have you ever heard of a dojo, Zafira?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey," A gentle but firm voice woke her up from sleep, "You shouldn't be sleeping here. You'll get cold."<em>

_She opened her eyes, and smiled at the brilliant pair of green eyes staring warmly at her. This was one of the better traits that she liked about Yuuno: he doesn't try to act cool, and would act on what he really think is best for her with genuine concern. This more often than not resulted in some pretty interesting events that had kept the love burning even after eight years of association. In this case though, everything was still pretty normal._

"_Mm," she groggily wiped the sleep out of her eyes, "What time is it?"_

"_Midnight. I have work here today and I thought I'd check in to see if you're around. Overworking yourself as usual I see," her lover said with a hint of joke._

"_Well you know, something showed up, they can't wait and so on. Don't worry, I'm done. Hey," she suddenly smiled impishly, "Why don't you carry me behind your back so I can sleep all the way until back home?"_

_He smiled bitterly, "Most clever. Are you serious? Because if you are then hop on now before I change my mind."_

_She hopped on. The man would be shy if there were people, but in the middle of the night there would be little to no people who walked the streets. She laid her head onto his shoulders, and snuggled comfortably against his body warmth. This was a woman's privilege of love and security, and she will be damned if she doesn't try to enjoy this as often as possible. The journey went by with mutual silence, until suddenly Yuuno spoke up,_

"_Hey," Yuuno started, "It's unlike you to not crack a joke on me. Did something happen? Wanna talk about it?"_

_The brunette was pleasantly surprised, "You're right. There is something that I might like to talk about. Let me arrange my thoughts for a sec."_

_She started talking about a most infuriating dispute between two very influential families in Administrated World #45. Usually the TSAB avoided these cases like the plague – and with good reason too – but it happened that there's a person each from the two families that were TSAB officers on that same world (Whoever's bright idea to put the two loggerheads together), and when they brought personal feelings to work things got real messy and potentially disruptive to the world's peace. And so she was sent to 'solve' the problem permanently while ensuring that the wrath on either family do not fall on the TSAB._

"_Er, forgive me for asking this, though I'm sure you're already waiting for the question," Yuuno's voice rang musically in her ears, "Why exactly is an _Investigation Commander _put to such a… domestic affair?"_

"_It's not exactly an official duty, or at least it wasn't at first," Hayate sighed at her own stupidity; she has _so many _thing to do, "A Lieutenant Saaya Garyu came to me and fell on her knees _begging_ literally for my assistance, because apparently the matter had escalated to different factions of command amongst the TSAB's Home Guard and she feared that a war might even break out. Serious, definitely, but it still wasn't within my judiciary and there were better meditators out there with the required expertise... at least, that's what I thought until she said the magic words."_

"_Ooh, do teach me."_

"_Not _that _kind of magic words, silly," she pulled at the ferret boy's ear a little, "She said that two 'idiots' that caused the whole bloody mess were actually _in love _with each other. But when one misunderstanding led to the other, and with their unrelenting families kept pressuring at the back, well…"_

"_So it was what? The _political love _drama that got you interested and hooked up in the whole problem? You brought this upon yourself!"_

"_I know, I know but… they somehow reminded me of us," the brunette said quietly, "and I just felt like helping them."_

_Yuuno scratched his head with doubt, "But their situation couldn't be any further from us! We _never _mixed our jobs with personal relationships!"_

"_And it was hard all the same. No, it was harder exactly _because._ They worked in the same Division, were close to each other, had an opportunity to resolve their family's conflict once and for all… and they squandered it all for a chain of extremely _stupid_ misunderstandings. To be honest? I'm just pissed when I listened to the whole story. I swear to God I'm getting those two on bed if I had to drag them on a leash."_

"_Stop, stop, that's not what you said before, you said it was trouble –"_

"_Ah~ I'm feeling so cold right now," the brunette said cheerfully while wrapping her hands around her boyfriend with increasing tightness, "I feel like I could hug this warmth to _death_ if he doesn't shut up!"_

"_Wait – can't breathe – I'm sorry I – _ackk! Hayate!_"_

_The duo continued their playful charade all the way home, smiling and laughing at the embrace of each other's love._

_They were happy._

* * *

><p><em>I am not Hayate Yagami.<em>

Tears overflowed from the depths of her eyes. They have had so many memories together. They have had spent so much time with each other. They _loved_ her with all their heart, and yet she was ready to destroy them for a simple, selfish desire. She could not defend herself; she could never wipe away these terrible sins, for it had been pure luck that she did not do the worst thing imaginable. She was _not _Hayate Yagami_, _she _cannot be _Hayate Yagami, for someone as terrible as her could not be the sunlit girl that has brightened so many lives. She could not possibly be the ever caring woman who would extend her help to others at the sacrifice of her own time and efforts. She deserved _none _of the love and respect and loyalty and all the beautiful feelings that they would shower upon her without a single thought.

The only path that lies before her was punishment for her sins. There would be no escape from this eternal hell, there would be no freedom. And so be it.

She turned to look at her friends smiling and watching her with a gentle look in their eyes, still patiently waiting for her to do the unthinkable. Still waiting for her to be _released_. She remembered everything. She remembered how they had cruelly murdered her friends one by one, playing tricks to their eyes and setting them off against one another. Reunion had tried to hide the hearts' memories from her, but she was still Connector to the Heart's network, and somewhere the traces of memories still lied hidden within her mind. She remembered how how Fate had cut Signum and Agito into two, how she had burned Zafira into a crisp and sliced Vita's head clean off from behind. She remembered how Nanoha had cruelly bombed Shamal's head into pieces, and she could _never _forget how she tore apart Yuuno from limb to limb, starting first from the neck.

And yet she still couldn't hate the two women who had done them all, because despite the little time she's spent with the once-Nanoha and once-Fate, for all the atrocities and deaths the two _monsters _have caused, she did not think that they were lying to her. The love behind their eyes was completely real, and they truly wished from the bottom of their hearts for her to be free. At this point she knew that she was truly no longer Hayate Yagami, for the real Hayate Yagami would've raged, and she would've cried, and she would've fought to the death instead of feeling understanding with a pair of monsters. And most of all, Hayate Yagami would not hate the cause of all the tragedies and the will behind everything, _Grey Christmas_, until her tongue tasted of blood and her heart felt like exploding. _I have no heart, _she thought madly to herself,_ my heart is already gone when Fate pierced it. Hayate Yagami… is already _dead.

Finally the duo seemed to notice the raging emotions wrecking at her fake heart, they tried walking towards her with concern before she stopped them with a raised palm. She looked at them with tears flowing like they would never end, and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I may no longer be Hayate Yagami, but I just cannot do it. For the memories of that beautiful girl, for their undying love towards her, I just cannot do it. I'm sorry. _I'm sorry._"

" – – – – –"

"Even if I will never be able to move, yes, I will stay."

" – – – – –"

"Even if I will die, yes, I will stay."

" – – – – –"

"Even if I will forever be alone… yes, I will stay."

Their heads drooped. Sadness lurked painfully within the two pair of eyes, and they seem to even regret for not being able to find a better way to set her free. Even as monsters, her friends were kind. Hayate Yagami would have been proud to have Nanoha Takamichi and Fate Testarossa as her best friends forever. Not-Hayate was simply glad that at the very end of her journey, these two would be the last people she saw even if they're no longer human. She was glad. She was very glad.

Suddenly Nanoha raised her weapon, and in an instant Raising Heart transformed into Cannon Mode in response to her call. She watched them in alarm as Fate followed suit with a pair of golden energy blades, battle stance ready. She asked cautiously, "What are you two doing?" and for the first time, she was able to hear their voices ringing clearly inside her head,

"_You are Hayate Yagami, and so we have no choice but to do this."_

"Do what?!" the brunette jumped backwards and raised her staff defensively. Suddenly her knees crumbled to the floor, and abruptly the not-Hayate remembered that her current strength was lent by Nanoha and Fate. Without them, she could do _nothing_ at all, "I am _not _Hayate! How many times do I have to tell you? I am not worthy!"

"_If you will not be set free, you will always be her," _the gleam in Nanoha's eyes darkened once in sadness, before lighting up again with determination and blood curling cruelty, _"I am sorry… my dear friend. But you will be Hayate Yagami. You are."_

A pink beam blew right past her left ears, and the following ear deafening explosion propelled the helpless woman like a rag doll. As she laid on the floor without strength with tendrils of darkness already creeping at the edge of her vision, the brunette thought numbly, _she missed. Impossible, there is no way she would miss at point blank range. Where is she aiming –_

_No. _Abruptly her vision cleared, and she used every ounce of her strength to twist her neck muscles and looked behind her. _It can't be_. Where a short-tempered but gentle red warrior once lied was but a gigantic black hole, and try as she might she could not see _Vita_.

"No. _No. _You can't do this, I am _not _Hayate," she croaked, "_Please, don't!"_

"_As Hayate Yagami, you will suffer her tears."_

Another beam, another hole. She felt like she was going crazy as she begged Nanoha again and again to stop. Stop. Stop. _Stop!_

"_As Hayate Yagami, you will suffer her anger." Boom. Splatter. _Squish.

"Ah… AhaHa… AhA_Ha_H_Aha_…"

"_And as Hayate Yagami… you will fight us to the very end… and die."_

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHH!"_

* * *

><p><em><strong>[REUNION]<strong>_

It was as I had expected. Even though I already knew beforehand, it was a different experience to just know than actually feeling the utter and complete _lack of life_ in Grey Christmas. There's not a single thing here that wasn't dead, and the only ones that are alive were intruders. With a setup like this, it becomes terrifyingly simple to track down anything that's alive and do whatever they want with them. Living beings simply could not stand being in such a lifeless place for long and prolonged stay would very likely turn each and every one of them crazy. The single color medium amplifies and speeds up the effect in addition to inducing severe hallucinations, nausea, failure of judgment and much more. Grey Christmas was simply to say, Hell reborn on Mid-Childa.

And for an accursed human like me who wielded a magic far too powerful and _noisy _than I could stand – barring the depressing red color only setup – this would've been the ideal resting place I've been trying to search for so long. Away from the voices, away from the calls, just complete and absolute _silence… _But no, not today. I was here for another purpose, and that purpose was fading _fast_ if I don't get moving. As soon as I entered Grey Christmas I could feel Hayate's emotions much more strongly – not only because that the shroud was in some way I could not comprehend disrupting the connection, but also of a problem of distance – and they weren't good. Despair, anger, and pain. The pain felt almost physical as it tore at _me _even though I'm simply picking up the waves of her emotions. I would've liked to examine her memories and find out first exactly what was going on, but there's no time. Still, just what the hell happened in the short span of time after Yuuno's death?

I gingerly climbed out of the escape pod and with my life's sign already hidden. To the residents of Grey Christmas (hope I never have to find out what they are) I am no different from them and just as dead, though if someone – or something – were to examine me at close they might just be able to notice the difference. Unfortunately I could not avoid using magic either, so I better move quickly and move fast. As I climbed onto the nearest, tallest ruins, it didn't take long for me to find that single skyscraper where Hayate's located at. After all it was the only structure left of the entire TSAB Mid-Childan Office, and everything else was decimated into black and smoking ruins. All that's left was to fly up carefully, and –

"What the – _Fuck!"_ I immediately jumped off the building and took flight to the skies, as bloody fast as I could, and suddenly a terrifically huge explosion that engulfed everything behind me with in a roar of flames. It was a pink-colored magical beam fired from atop the skyscraper, and as I continued escaping thinking that somehow god damn Nanoha had picked up my sign, I suddenly noticed that it wasn't just one magical beam that's being fired from the spot. Magic shots were being fired by the _tens _in a multitude of pink, yellow and white from the top of the skyscraper. No, scratch that, the poor structure was being _disintegrated_ from top to below and the ridiculous magical blasts went off in rapid succession. And as the fireworks fell closer and closer towards the ground, so did the absolutely thunderous shockwaves shook the ground like a disco of earthquakes, plus my poor ears were being deafened very rapidly though I think the combatants there could care less about my discomfort.

_Wait a second. White?_ Before I knew it, against all common sense I was flying opposite of my initial direction and headed straight for where the battle was fought. It was a miracle I didn't faint from the sheer amount of spells hurtling towards my general direction. Let's see: cute little murderous pink bombs, streaks of lightning, more streaks of lightning on a completely different scale of size, death rays – I mean Divine Busters; the particular move was very well known even to me – lightning boomerangs, binds – how the hell do you throw out a stray bind? In short, yes, hell on Mid-Childa. _What the fuck am I doing here again?_

But those were not the only spells I saw. There were spears of blue ice cutting through air with the speed of a missile. A black hole of darkness temporarily engulfing the entirety of the battlefield before streaks of yellow and pink pierced through it, patches of ground frozen solid by ice and _fluttering feathers of the only pair of black wings I know_. How on earth was she able to move, when she was diagnosed to be in permanent coma until they found her a new heart? How on earth could she even _fight_, when her heart was a fragile pocket of magic that could break any time under extreme stress? This was ridiculous. Impossible. And yet with each meter I covered my heart became more convinced, and if there's one thing I knew about her, it would be that common logic _never _works with Hayate Yagami.

Somehow I managed to weave through the rain of stray spells, and as I floated above the skies with my mouth wide open, I witnessed the battle between three of the greatest mages to have ever lived in all history and time.

I witnessed, the battle of _gods_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[HAYATE?]<strong>_

"_Mistilteinn," _she whispered. Magic poured out like a torrent of waterfall as they form seven, fourteen, _thirty _shards of shadowy light spears in an instant hovering all around her space. Why did she ever need to chant an aria, she didn't know and didn't care. She raised both her arms and flicked them forwards as the shards shot out with subsonic speed directly towards her enemies. They dodged out of the way, but it was completely pointless. Her fingers danced across air as if playing the piano as the missiles of petrification homed in again and again at the escaping duo, though with little results as one woman wore thunder under her feet and the other a master of aerial combat. A spear is straight, and even if it arcs the trajectory will be easy to predict. So why not, she wondered, she play them like throwing knives instead? So like faithful servants the shards bent to her will and began spinning at all directions with unmatchable speed. Suddenly the shards became a threat the size of a much larger ball, and suddenly there were much less room for the duo to maneuver. They could not escape, and they were finally cornered in. The shards would petrify even the essence of magic themselves, and neither barriers nor shields would work against it. The brunette waited without feelings the complete petrification of her former friends –

Suddenly there was a flash, and golden blades sprung into life with the ferocity of a dragon. One by one the shards were dropped like pitiful flies, one by one they were slashed and stabbed and crushed and shattered into non-existence by the beautiful snarling golden far too swift for the human eyes to see. Her spells could not take effect, they were way too slow. The brunette was very impressed; she snapped a hundred more and saw the same. Suddenly pink flames roared from a point with wishes of destruction, and she knew instinctively that no defenses in the world could ever hope to stop them. She tried to escape, but golden moved, and everywhere she stepped seemed to end only in splatters of bloody ribbons. There was no space to run, there was only death. Her life was over, everything will end.

Unless she went underground.

The staff hit earth, and down she went dodging the flames of death by a breadth of her hair. She summoned a furious gale, she bought herself a little bit of time. What can I do, she wondered, what _else_ can I do? She remembered a biggest hammer of her life wielded by a mighty little knight, and as she gave it a try the hammer came to life. How she know not, nor cared, nor wondered. As she blew out of the ground with rocks of surprise, she saw Nanoha right before her and smiled. _Slam _said the hammer as steel met magic. _Slam _said the hammer again as steel met crack. _Make me big, _she heard the weapon whispered, _make me strong_. And so the hammer grew like the beanstalk, and the brunette smiled a wicked desire that knew no bounds. _Die like a bug, _she said with cruelty. _Get squashed and die,_ and she swung it downwards like the guillotine of death.

Pain. Pain in her stomach. The hammer stopped, her hands trembled. She looked downwards to see the golden blades. She looked up to see a roar of pink. The pain was unstoppable. The pain was terrifying. Her body flew backwards to crash into a wall, and as her bones popped the pain became everything. But there was green, and green meant healing. Her bones fell back into place proper and strong, and meat sewed with skin without an itch. She laughed at her body, she laughed at their helplessness. Let the dance continue, she said as she climbed to her feet. Let the terror run, she said as she opened her arms to a thousand shards of ice. Let the blood _flow_, she said as they shot forwards at her eternal enemies with the absolute intent to kill –

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Crack!_

Suddenly the brunette fell on one foot, and no matter how hard she tried she could not stand. Then she failed to even remain upright as her knees betrayed her, and the girl fell to the ground with a terrible slam. Her powers were gone, her strength just died. It was as if midnight was up, and Cinderella's magical time had come to an end. _What happened? _She thought blankly even as the fog of rage in her head finally began to clear up, _why am I down? I was invincible! I could fight on par with them! I could _defeat _them, so why –_

_Thump_. Suddenly pain exploded like a bomb in her chest, and she could not suppress a terrible cry. It came in rhythmic waves again and again, assaulting her senses until she lost the energy to even scream. _My heart, _she thought finally with realization, _Shamal's emergency treatment. The magical pocket that kept me going, the last gift she gave to me… it's breaking apart._

_Sha. Sha. Sha._ She saw at the edge of her view her former friends walking slowly towards her. They still held in their weapons in hand and showed no sign of stopping. So things were going to end the way Nanoha had predicted it to be. It was infuriating, but the duo like knew from the very beginning that her temporary heart would not hold out in a fight. In fact it had been a miracle that she managed to hold out so long while casting such excessive amounts of spells. But how was it possible? It's as if a floodgate was opened, and all she needed to do was think and the magic came as naturally as breathing. And how on earth did she summon Graff Eisen?

_Sha. Sha. Sha. Za._

Ah… that's right. It no longer mattered.

Her eyes began to turn blurry, and as her consciousness began dimming in and out the brunette could feel acutely the growing cracks in her heart. It would probably break within the matter of minutes, maybe even seconds. And as the pain grew larger and even more unbearable, she stared with difficulty one last time at her two former friends. They looked sad. They looked really sad. _Don't be, _she tried speaking, but no voice came out and the attempt only made the pain worse. So she said the words inside her heart instead, _you were the ones who saved my life, who gave me hope. So if you're the ones who would end it then, I don't mind… I don't mind…_

They nodded once, and raised their weapons.

The brunette closed her eyes with acceptance, and waited for the end.

"You will die alright, as all living things would eventually come to be. But not now, Hayate. Not yet."

She opened her eyes widely at the impossible voice, and saw light.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[REUNION]<strong>_

That being said, I have no idea what to do after throwing out that cool phrase, but I guess I'll just wing it as I go. Naturally the two monsters also heard my call, and without waiting for them to respond I dashed right between them both and immediately grabbed onto Hayate. First mission success! Now I just have to make sure that I don't die by decapitation or detonation. Sounds simple enough! I checked the time to see one minute before the place gets blown up, and Hayate chose that moment to croak out a broken sentence,

"Why… Are you here?"

"See that ship up there?" I pointed at the bizarre spectacle atop our heads, "That's the _Claudia_. The short version is that Chrono ah, _improvised_ a little to get into the shroud but things were too late; I knocked him out because he wants to stop me, and now I'm here. Understand?"

"… No."

"I thought so too, so we'll talk later if by some freak chance we manage to get out of this situation," I looked back and felt some serious doubt since the duo was still standing there like a pair of frozen stick. Why aren't they chasing us? They can't be giving up on Hayate this easily, or else what's the point of this entire charade –

They say that when you drive you should look forwards, and apparently this works with flying too. In an instant my instincts and magic both screamed as one, and it was through pure reflex that I swerved at the right direction to avoid the first slash aimed at my neck. _Illusionary magic, _I thought, _shit. _I was unfortunately not that luck or skilled to dodge the second and third blows to my back, and the sudden, searing pain nearly took me down to the ground. Pain however, was not an unfamiliar friend even though it came at a different form than what I'm used to. I channeled the Heart's magic to minimize the pain, and put everything I have to increase my flight speed. I only see one Fate Testarossa pursuing from behind, and while the missing Nanoha was giving me goosebumps I thought that I would deal with her when she showed up. No sense scaring yourself into submission by an unseen threat.

"Don't… just leave me here, I'm… dying anyway…"

"And there are better places to have a grave. This is _not _your place to die, Hayate."

"I am… not…"

I shook my head incredulously at the declaration, "Good god, don't tell me you're still at that kind of bull – _whoa!_" that's another close one, though this time I worked my Heart's magic a little harder to properly predict incoming attacks and I dodged them all with minimal trouble, "Look Hayate, you are who you are. So you nearly killed your family. So what? _You didn't do it_. You weren't even sane, for God's sake, and yet you still managed to stop yourself and regained your true self. Heck, you don't even need me! I came here wanting to heal your heart so you wouldn't die a crazed madman – or reborn as one for the matter – but you completely exceeded my expectations. Again. You _are _Hayate Yagami, and I am very proud to have you as my mother."

"But…"

"No buts!

A kilometer more to the _Claudia_ and only thirty seconds left to spare. I sure as hell hoped that this disgusting shroud is strong enough to hold for a couple more before we get the heck out of here. Now I wished I hadn't taken the time to read her most recent memories when they were duking it out and just charged in…. no, I probably would've been obliterated into atoms if I tried, but ugh!

The brunette became completely limp and silent in my arms, and if it wasn't for my magic and Hayate's fake heart thumping madly against my arms, I really would've been fooled into thinking that she died. For a second I was lulled into indecision: It is an ironclad fact that Hayate will die, because if the most Yuuno and Shamal - best healers in the universe – could do was to provide a stopgap, there's no chance in hell that I'll be able to heal her in her even more weakened state now. In fact, all these flying were probably shortening her life _very _rapidly. So just what exactly am I trying to do? What if she died before we reached the _Claudia? _What if she died on the _Claudia_? What _could_I do, even if she somehow managed to last until we're safe? Even the TSAB was prepared to sacrifice her in the name of protecting the galaxy, so what could I do for her? What does _she _really wants?

I looked at the pale, barely breathing figure in my arms. I thought of everything that she has done, everything that she sacrificed to protect what's important, everything that she's lost in this world simply because it wanted her to. I suddenly decided: I do not want Hayate to be here. Even if she dies right now, I still do not want Hayate to be in this barren, damned world. She deserved much, _much _better than this. She deserved to be _free_.

I would at least guarantee that this forsaken place would never have her soul.

Once again there were a few slashes aimed towards my general direction, but by now I seriously doubted Fate Testarossa's true intentions. The attacks were aimless, weak and almost _lazy._ She was definitely not trying to do us harm at least; more like she's putting on an act to just to keep me on alert. I do not see Nanoha Takamichi anywhere near me, and unless she knew an Invisibility spell – why go through all that trouble though, when she just kill me with mass Shooters? – I am _still _not seeing her, and even with my magic the brunette's presence was as mute as air. With the _Claudia_ rapidly approaching my sight, I became convinced that Nanoha must have somehow flew past me, circumvented my magic, and is standing right at an open entrance waiting to blast me a Divine Buster. I swallowed once, and as we finally reached the _Claudia, _I found the nearest window and channeled magic into my right fist to make it indestructible. Here goes –

Burgundy eyes stared into mine, and my heart literally stopped a beat when Fate Testarossa suddenly appeared inches away from my nose. I would've shouted a million curses, except that none of them would do me good and I dearly wished to have my neck intact. I slowly floated a few steps backwards, and the blonde smiled at me and pointed somewhere above my head. Okay, fine, if she's going to cut me right after I look up at least I won't see it coming. I followed her instructions, all the while imagining cold steel pressing against my neck, so imagine my utmost surprise when I saw an open hole that seemed to… Is that the _sky_? The _real_, blackish dark nightsky? Am I seeing things? The shroud was supposed to be a fifty meters thick piece of red goo judging from, well, what we _saw _when the _Claudia _pierced through it the first time, but the hole I'm looking at now was at most five meters long. Five meters away from freedom. Is that what they're trying to do? To hang escape as the carrot and put me down when I try to make that last short distance?

I must say that I was so thick with suspicion at that point I couldn't decide what to do. Fate Testarossa and Nanoha Takamichi are monsters of Grey Christmas, make no mistake, and they have absolutely no mercy for those who were not chosen to be one of them. I have seen the results. I have _felt_ them as they cut through Hayate's comrades and _my family_. So I did not have the slightest doubt that whatever the two of them has planned, it would _not_ be something good by any human standards.

And yet… they were obviously sentient, and for some reason they held a soft spot for Hayate, even though they tried to kill her in the end. It was entirely possible that they've changed their mind and decided to let us go, even though the opposite looked to be much more certain. Or perhaps, I recalled suddenly about their behavioral patterns, perhaps they just have something that they want to show us.

I looked once more at Fate, and the blonde shrugged before pointing a finger at the hole again. I steeled my nerves, and with Hayate firmly in my arms, we gingerly flew upwards to our escape and freedom. _Five meters, _I thought dizzily as I made my way upwards, _four._ Amazingly, nothing happened as we covered the remaining distance and finally made it out of Grey Christmas. _Out._ It felt like a god damn _week _even though I've been in there for barely ten minutes of time, unbelievable. I soaked in the night wind with joy in my heart, and –

_Boom!_

I looked up, and felt my jaw slackened. _Of course_, I thought numbly to myself, _how stupid of me to think that it is all over._

One of my biggest question that was Nanoha's whereabouts were answered with a series of huge booms, pink fire, and a couple of burning warships splintering to useless metal. The brunette soared like an angel as she weaved through with ease a most colorful web of death in the form of cannon, auto turrets, bombs and even a few stupid aerial mages who came out to die as she sliced them apart like sushi. The warships gunfire were utterly useless if they cannot hit a target, and as the brunette activated Strike Flame she pierced right through the shields of sea blue warship named _Katarina_, and then switched Raising Heart into Cannon Mode. I watched with a completely blank mind as the pillar of unstoppable energy pieced right through its supposedly magic resistant armor like hot knife through butter, and as she proceed to swung her staff downwards like an abnormally long light saber, the entire three hundred meters long warship became cut neatly in half. Now out of the five TSAB warships – excluding the _Claudia_ – only two were left, and from the looks of it they don't stand a bleeding chance unless Nanoha stood and let them hit her with a full-powered Arc-en-ciel. The sight was as unrealistic as it was unbelievable, and yet this was happening right before my eyes whether I like it or not. It was a massacre.

There was nothing I can do about it.

"What… is going…?"

Abruptly the sleeping princess in my arms spoke, and I looked down at her numbly unsure of what to say, "Can your eyes still… see?"

Hayate tried to smile, and when she spoke I tried hard to keep a neutral expression so that my true feeling would not show, "Perhaps it's because… I'm not using magic, but the pain is lesser… and my eyes are… improving. I'm not dreaming, am I? I don't see… any red color…"

"We're outside… we're no longer inside Grey Christmas."

"How…?" Hayate's eyes widened with surprise, "Did they… let us go?"

I have no idea, so I simply said truthfully, "I don't know. I really don't."

"Okay… what's with the light show… though, I thought… we're at least a thousand meters… above sea level?"

"Hayate…" I said quietly, "Nanoha, she's here outside of Grey Christmas, and… the warships…"

Hayate blinked once, twice, and suddenly she shot upwards so suddenly that I nearly let go, "_No. _That's impossible, she can't have – how on _earth_?"

"Calm down, _calm down,_" even though I've enhanced my arm's strength I'm still a nine years old, and her struggling about wasn't helping a lot, "We have seen too many impossible things already to say that now."

Hayate grabbed onto my arms tightly, and I don't even need to use Heart Seeker to know what she wanted to say, "We have… to stop her. We cannot… allow this to continue. What happens in there… _stays_ there. I will not –"

Suddenly a fit of violent cough hit her, and I immediately patted her back in panic to soothe her, "And how do you propose that we do that? As much as I hate to say this but there's nothing we can do against a monster who could mow down spaceships like they're paper. Let us just leave."

"_No."_

"Hayate –"

"_I am going to die, Reunion,_" the brunette looked at me with desperate eyes, "It's delayed for now, but I… am most certainly will die. I don't want… my last sight to be… the death of my comrades, and me… doing _nothing_."

"But you're too weak to even speak!" Doesn't she understand the condition she's in right now? "What _can _you do? And don't you even dare say that you'll try to convince Nanoha with words!"

Hayate thought for a while before asking, "Your magic…?"

"No," I shook my head adamantly, "I am _not _opening a link to that monster. God knows if she has the strength to overcome me, and then it'll truly be the end of the world."

"Well… then I guess… there's only one way left…" Hayate turned to look at her left, and I turned to see that she's looking at the jutting backside of _Claudia_, "Bring me there… please, I'm too weak right now…"

"Sure, but what you're going to do?" I asked as I carefully flew her over to a spot wide and balanced enough to stand, "I can't imagine that there's anything that we can do to stop her or Grey Christmas."

As I helped Hayate to stand with much difficulty, I looked down at the red shroud groaning and pushing against the rainbow pillars of the Seven Walls. Without the warships to reinforce the Relics, the pillars were slowly but surely breaking apart as the corrupted world began leaking outside to Mid-Childa. It was like watching a living volcano except that the boiling lava was bursting right through the mountain itself. I shudder to think of the destruction that it'll cause.

"Reunion," Hayate's weak call suddenly pulled me back from my thoughts, "Bring me… to the cryogenic chamber. It should be somewhere around this section of the warship."

"Huh…" She can't be thinking of somehow putting her two friends into sleep? But try as I might, the brunette betrayed no thoughts on her face or heart, and in the end I reluctantly agreed and said, "Fine. You better sit down for a second. There's a window here that I could break, but I'll need both of my hands free."

"O… kay. Be fast, there's not much… time."

Another TSAB warship exploded into a pile of useless scrap, and the last remaining ship looked to be running away at full speed. Whether or not Nanoha decided to chase it down the results would not be good for us, and so I wasted no time and slammed my fists at the window repeatedly until it's broken. Then, I carried Hayate gingerly through while carefully avoiding the pieces of glass. As we jumped into an empty looking room and quickly trod out of the corridor, I began noticing that Hayate's breath had begun to grow even more ragged and frantic. _Not yet_, I thought with sudden panic, _please… not yet_. I ran faster and faster. The chamber should be just a few turns ahead.

"Reunion… don't cry," Hayate said gently.

"Huh?" It was then I noticed that my eyes were blurry, and that my hands were shivering even though I'm not feeling tired. I was terrified, I realized shakily as the emotions broke through like a dam. For all the big talk I've said to convince myself and other… I was absolutely terrified of losing Hayate.

"Is there… any way to save you? Any at all?"

"No," she shook her head, but not unkindly, "Not enough time."

"But we're headed towards the cryogenic chamber now, aren't we?" I said with dawning realization, "maybe we freeze you and keep you alive long enough for treatment! That's why we're headed there, isn't it?!"

"If I had a normal heart, yes," Hayate shook her head and shattered my expectations easily, "But I don't... and I am far too gone already. That is not… the reason why we're headed there anyway. I don't see Fate, but… she's around, isn't she?"

"She's probably still inside Grey Christmas, but I don't know," I said with dejection, and my feelings must've been scribbled all over my face.

"Oh, c'mon… I won't go that easily, death is… nothing compared to Nanoha and Fate... you know?" Hayate said jokingly. A sudden sadness stifled my throat, and I couldn't even think up of a proper way to respond. How could she act like this when she's about to die? Even now Hayate was worrying about saving the lives on men who would try to kill her, when by all rights she didn't need to. She sacrificed _everything_ to protect the world, and is this how the world repaid her efforts? It was unfair. It was_ bloody_ unfair. It was so frustrating I could've wept again, except that I don't want Hayate to experience any more sadness again and stubbornly held them back.

As I turned around the last corner, we finally find ourselves at the cryogenic chamber. The room was not particularly huge, and there was a single control panel in the room and six of life-sized pods in total that lined up the left and right side. Again my doubt returned with double the question marks. How exactly was she going to force those two into any one of these pods? The more I thought, the more I doubted, and once again I looked at Hayate dubiously and asked, "What exactly are we going to do?"

Hayate smiled mysteriously and motioned at me to let her stand. As I let her down carefully, the brunette slowly stood shakily to her feet and said, "Reunion? Can you stand in front of me? Just in case I fall down."

"Sure," I nodded without second thought and walked in front of her, "Be careful okay? Now then, what is it that we want to do? Is there a secret weapon –"

All the sudden, I couldn't breathe. A pair of arms wrapped around my neck and began squeezing with incredible strength. I couldn't believe what was happening, and when I finally came to my senses and tried to fight, my vision has already begun dimming against my own will. And then she whispered into my ears with her voice on the verge of tears, and abruptly I understood what she was trying to do. _No, _I tried to shout aloud, but that only caused me to lose air from my lungs, _Don't do this. Don't leave me. Let me… stay… with…_

As my consciousness subsided into darkness, the only thing I could remember was the last words she left me. I struggled against it, cried against it, used every ounce of strength to deny that one and only reality, but I could do nothing.

I couldn't stop her from saying goodbye.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[HAYATE YAGAMI]<strong>_

In the end, she broke her promise. She couldn't watch over him forever as a mother would. Reunion had done far more than she ever did when he rescued her from Grey Christmas. She would never be able to show him her gratitude. Never be able to repay the debt with a lifelong happiness that every person should have.

But at the very least, she could protect his life.

Hayate looked longingly at the innocent, sleeping face of her child, and touched lovingly at hre cheeks. Placed in his hands was the Tome of the Night Sky, her last gift to him, one that would surely protect him against the unseen future. He will be strong. He will live. He will not waste his life. Finally her legs finally buckled, and she clung weakly onto the pod to stay upright. _Not yet_, she thought to herself. With difficulty she began to crawl on all fours back to the main control panel, inch by inch, covering each painful meter as if she was running a full mile. When she finally made it, Hayate realized that she could stand up no longer and used her staff instead to poke carefully at the controls. Her eyes blurred, and she could not see the big green button. She squinted harder and tried again.

Finally the machine responded with a relieving beep, and all the life pods began activating at once. She watched as the sphere-shaped glass frame slid shut, and a transparent liquid began filling the pods until they were full. And as a silver sheet of metal slid over where the glass frame was, and enclosed the young boy in its protective cover, the chamber once again returned to silence. It was done. Hayate smiled in satisfaction, and the effort swayed her head in an intense vertigo and dropped her to the floor. She laid motionlessly on her right side and tried very hard not to faint. There was one last thing she had yet to do. One final duty to all of the people who had trusted in her, died for her, believed in her, and loved her.

She heard a footstep. Then another. Light, discreet, and with an air of geniality she was very accustomed to for so many years. Hayate opened her eyes wider, and smiled from the ground at the two friends she had loved so much.

"If the two of you are here… then I am too late… is that right?"

Amiable silence. A sign of affirmation in the air. She continued, "And if you're here, then it means… you'll eventually go out to the other worlds… and do the same."

It wasn't even a question.

"That's why… I'll stop you here," Hayate brought her hands together and held the Staff of Sword Cross at the center of her heart, and she whispered, "_Activate._"

The _Claudia_ shook once, then twice, then continued shaking violently in a rhythm that cried of the beginning of the end. As the brunette and the blonde looked at her in alarm, Hayate's smiled, "Cloaked spells. Or more accurately, cloaked _Ragnaroks_. Did it… when we fought. Wanted to use it then… but now, is also fine. You should've known, Nanoha," Hayate said with a hint of triumph, "And now… it's too late."

As the walls around them began to crumble, they saw a hundred Belkan triangles lined up like maws of death across the mystical night sky, and each one of them fired from their points three sphere of pure white energy that disintegrated everything in their path. Everything in its path was bathed in wondrous white light. Everything was returned to nothingness as if cleansed by the wrath of gods. It was a feat that should've been impossible, but Hayate did it because her friends were there. The magic existed because her family had given her all of their strength and _soul_. She understood now. The shroud was crumpling; it could not hope to defend against the sheer number of spells laying sure death all across its body. Grey Christmas… was fading away.

The blonde and the brunette moved to stop the bombardment. They found themselves pinned by a mighty white bind as it wrapped around them both like an oversized boa. "You're not getting away," the brunette whispered. They could not escape. Her body began to glow white with power, and the light grew more and more intense. With this, it will be over. With this, everything will finally end. As Hayate closed her eyes and surrendered herself completely to the magic, she thought only of a single regret that would never be resolved.

_If only… if only things had gone differently…_

_Creak._

And everything went away in a sea of white.

_**[Playback complete. Saving record to permanent memory, event designated codename 'Grey Christmas'. No new record detected. End of data validation.]**_

* * *

><p>The images paused and winked silently out of existence; the brilliant colors vanished like a tide and went back to white light and darkness. A long time was spent validating all of the memories recorded within the book. The time meant nothing compared to the cycle spent asleep in this tiny, little world. And with the life pod boasting life preserving capabilities at around one hundred years, the seemingly endless cycle could continue much, much longer.<p>

The book identified once the pure, sleeping boy as its owner and Master. The book hummed once and closed, and by all means should've shut down until the time it was awakened by its new Master. It should have.

_**[… Hacking Life Pod TX-03 Super Life Savior. Overriding main system security, executing manual operation control sequence… New order: Hatch Open.]**_

Abruptly the eternal spell of silence broke, and the machine began humming to life as the life liquid of endless sleep seeped away to give way to awakening. The glass frame slid open, the layers of metal followed next. And as true light finally broke through the coffin-no-longer, The Tome of the Night Sky uttered aloud with crystal clarity,

_**[It is time to wake up… my Master.]**_

His eyes cracked slightly open.


End file.
